Watching Karin
by Amber Dawn-chan
Summary: Repost. By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.
1. Watching Karin

**Watching Karin**

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><p>By fate they met in Kakaura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubborness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunatly he isn't the only one watching.<p>

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><p>Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.<p>

This was my very first fan fiction. I thought I had lost it forever when I lost my old hard drive, but thankfully (thanks to Rosetto-chan, who had been translating this story into Spanish) I had the entire story stored online as a sent email! I want to repost it here I had quite a few responses and it had surprisingly a wide range of reviews from acclamations to flames. :) It wasn't anything new just dwelt into the Hitsugaya T. x K. Karin pairing that I had wanted to see happen since early on in the bleach series especially once Captain Hitsugaya (and the rest of the crew) had been assigned to Karakura Town. My content is based mostly on the anime.

_Warning there is disturbing, and adult content throughout this story. You're looking at non-graphic child molestation and sexual assault, moderately graphic violence, gore, death, bullying, mental illness, self-harm, overly hormonal pre-teens, etc…not necessarily in that order._

Anyhow thanks much for taking time to check out the revised version of this story it really has a special place in my heart. It helped me realize that I can create something meaningful and something that can be enjoyed by others.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Watching Karin <strong>

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><p>That day she cried and was ashamed of herself for it…But her friends were all unhurt, and now Karin knew that her brother was safe. Well relatively safe anyway.<p>

She stayed behind to speak with the two soul-reapers that nobody but she had seen. It was strange seeing two Toshiros; one in the Black kimono and the other sitting on the edge of the huge crater the monster left behind, just staring off into space. She was almost sorry about rubbing his head. He was so sore over that, but it was pretty funny too.

Karin thought that she liked Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto (even if she did look deformed with those huge breasts). She bawled over laughing at her Captain. She was wiping tears from her eyes. A vein popped up in Captain Hitsugaya's forehead. He gritted his teeth and turned his back on her.

Karin waved her friends off when they came over to check on her.

One boy shouted, "Karin are you OK? Did you see the comet?"

"That's meteorite you dummy!" another boy exclaimed.

"None of us saw it." they all agreed.

Now was Karin's turn to lose patience and yell at her subordinates, "You guys are so dumb. You could have been killed! You should all run straight home...And tomorrow we'll be picking up our training. We'll practice for two hours after school." She screamed more than yelled, than added, "In the park since the field has been leveled."

Her teammates quieted down immediately, and bid her goodnight. None of them seemed hurt by her stern words, and they followed her orders to the letter. Hitsugaya was impressed by her display of leadership.

Karin turned her attention back to Toshiru and Rangiku. Karin did not want to apologize but she did want to thank Toshiro, and she wanted to learn more about soul-reapers, and these monsters that they call hollows, "Thank you Toshiro, um I mean Captain Hitsugaya," She bowed in humility being sure to keep a straight face.

"It's nothing." He grunted and looked at her sideways.

"It's **not** nothing! You saved me, and more importantly my friends…But most important you kicked butt on the soccer field!" she cheered. The small soul-reaper huffed and looked the other direction.

"Karin, I do believe you've made him blush!" Rangiku chimed in, further irritating him.

"Shut up Rangiku!" He warned her, his face red from anger rather than embarrassment.

"Awe Captain," His Lieutenant pouted, "You're no fun."

"Why don't you go back to whatever it was you were doing?" He asked more than ordered.

"Alright I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," She batted her eye lashes for full comic effect.

Karin stifled a chuckle and looked at the ground. His Lieutenant bounded out of sight, but exclaimed clearly, "Be sure to have her back home by ten or her old man might beat the snot out of you."

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes and muttered a curse at his subordinate. Karin was kicking the dirt around with her shoe. When she looked up the soul-reaper was gone and only one Toshiro was there. He was staring at her with a cold interest. She blushed. He looked so stern that she thought he might decide to attack her.

She kept her silence for what seemed like a lifetime, "Captain Hitsugaya?" Karin suddenly feeling shy.

"Mm?" He nodded

"What are these things? There are more and more each day it seems and they are getting stronger, I think." She hated feeling this way.

He was scrutinizing her. "They're hollows. That was more particularly a menos. Very powerful and too dangerous for one such as yourself to take on." He said this in a flat unemotional tone, "You should have run."

This made her angry and she surprised the captain by getting up in his face and telling him off. "What do you mean one like me? Do you mean a human or a weakling?" She didn't back down and stared at him making him feel scrutinized too. She waited.

Hitsugaya exhaled as the shock wore off, "You really are like your brother. I didn't mean to imply that you are weak, or that there is anything wrong with being human, my point is that even a Captain should be wary these days and you should not go picking fights with hollows. For a menos this was a weakling."

Karin relaxed a little remembering the effect of her powerful kick. It was a mere annoyance, a bug bite. He would have squashed her had Toshiro not been there.

"I understand." She sighed, "So Tosh-um Captain Hitsugaya, do you know much about my brother?"

She did not expect to hear much.

"Well he is strong now, but I think he still hasn't tapped into all of his powers. He has a long way to go and great potential, like you." He cleared his throat, "No offense."

"None taken," she smiled, "You jerk."

Hitsugaya lifted his eyebrow. He was starting to think she was messing around with him. He shrugged it off, humans after all are weird. Despite everything he felt intrigued by this elfish little human. He hoped to see more of her, if at the very least for her entertainment value. Plus he decided he really did like the game of soccer.

Neither of them said much. It was starting to get dark. So Karin made her good-byes.

"I should walk you home." He offered coldly, adding, "It will be dark before you get there."

"How would you know how far I am from home?" She smirked again. You haven't been following me or something, have you?"

He blushed, thinking of watching her in the park. She didn't notice, but he answered in a less than committed tone that he had been there to see her brother before. She smiled and waved to him than turned the corner and ran home.

She was happy that night and she didn't know why. She offered to wash the dishes and almost did not break any of them. She was halfway pleasant to her father. She only had to hit him in the face once.

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><p>The next day after school she met the guys for practice in the park. When they left the park and went their separate ways she went to that spot, where he had been. Thinking on what he said about the sky. She looked as the sky grew dusky. It really was beautiful.<p>

However, she was disappointed to find that he wasn't there. As she was about to go home she felt a change in the air and there he was texting with a dull look on his face. He was leaning against the guardrail. Looking at the sky.

"What are you doing here?" he queried

"I have as much right to be here as you." She grunted and plopped down next to where he was leaning with her legs sticking through the rail.

He looked down at her legs and replied, "You know what I mean. What do you want with me?"

"The sky is really pretty this evening," Not answering him. She rested her chin on the guardrail and sighed.

It was a sincere sigh. Hitsugaya noted that she wasn't teasing him. He returned his gaze to the sky. They sat there for a good thirty minutes. Her eyes trained on the horizon with a whimsical expression.

He looked down at her and began to study her face. He thought to himself, She looks like her brother, not that she looks like a guy, it's just the same expression they both get, and the eyebrows are the same.

But in the pink light she looked much more feminine than she usually did, and the serene look on her face added to the effect. She looked a little like Momo. He turned from that painful thought.

The Captain thought that she had the potential to be beautiful. He actually reprimanded himself for it, _'What the hell are you thinking of? You idiot!_' He shook off the previous thought and opened his mouth to say something, lest he move further out into uncharted waters.

Karin beat him to the punch, "It's getting late." She pulled herself out from under the railing, innocently noting, "Did you know you have a rip in your back pocket?"

Hitsugaya blushed and felt his back pockets. Both were fine, "Why you!" He shouted and lunged for her angrily.

She dogged him laughing, and ran off into the night, "Good night, Captain!"

He admired her agility, but again cursed himself, "Damn that Rangiku for putting the notion into my head."

"What notion?" Rangiku suddenly appeared.

"How long have you been here?" he frowned.

"Long enough," Her lips curled over her teeth in an uncharacteristically evil grin, rivaling Gin Ichimaru's, "Captain you dirty little boy. Were you having some impure thoughts about the Kurosaki girl." She snickered.

"Would you just shut-up!" He stalked off fuming.

"Awe come on Captain," Rangiku following him, "For a human she seems alright. She certainly doesn't compare to me in beauty, but she has some potential." She pointed her finger to the sky and smiled brightly.

'_Oh-no,'_ The young captain pinched the bridge of his nose.

"She is the perfect size, well actually I think she is a few centimeters taller than you, but girls usually are at that age. Ha-ha-ha, you would be too cute together! I really should give her some make-up tips though!" The busty woman was rambling so fast that Toshiro thought his head might fall right off his shoulders.

"What are you talking about?" Toshiro demanded to know.

He knew that look, she was scheming up something, "I know-"

"Lieutenant Matsumoto! I forbid you to go near that human! Now that is an order! Understand?" He glared at her.

Crestfallen, she nodded, "Yes Captain, but you're no fun." She pouted.


	2. Waiting

**Watching Karin**

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.<p>

This was my very first fan fiction. I thought I had lost it forever when I lost my old hard drive, but thankfully (thanks to Rosetto-chan, who had been translating this story into Spanish) I had the entire story stored online as a sent email! I want to repost it here I had quite a few responses and it had surprisingly a wide range of reviews from acclamations to flames. :) It wasn't anything new just dwelt into the Hitsugaya T. x K. Karin pairing that I had wanted to see happen since early on in the bleach series especially once Captain Hitsugaya (and the rest of the crew) had been assigned to Karakura Town. My content is based mostly on the anime.

* * *

><p><em>Warning there is disturbing, and adult content throughout this story. You're looking at non-graphic child molestation and sexual assault, moderately graphic violence, gore, death, bullying, mental illness, self-harm, overly hormonal pre-teens, etc…not necessarily in that order.<em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Waiting <strong>

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><p>Again the next morning Karin was extremely happy and even kissed her father good bye. He was so surprised by her sudden display of affection that he crushed her to his chest. Literally he was crushing her. So she drove her heel into the top of his foot. He gave a cry of pain and teared up. She grabbed her books as he was calling out how cruel his eldest daughter was to him. On the way to school she felt something strange watching her. '<em>Could it be that Toshiro <em>_**is**__ following me?'_ She thought, but shrugged it off. Saying, "Why would he?"

"Why would who?" Yuzu asked curiously.

"Oh it's nothing," Karin replied trying not to smile.

"Ok, Sis" Yuzu, the trusting soul, would never doubt her sister.

They walked to school together. All day she was a bit distracted. At school she was reprimanded by the teacher about half a dozen times.

"Really Karin, you are one of my best students! I would expect more out of you." Her teacher frowned and threatened to keep her in after school.

Karin did her best to keep the teacher happy. After school she didn't have practice so she went to the spot on the hill to look for the white haired boy. He wasn't there. She waited. She even sat down where she had the previous night. She watched the sky, it was pretty, but not as enjoyable alone.

It felt like she was being watched again. This wasn't the comforting feeling of a friend's eyes. It felt evil. Somewhere faraway a weak hollow appeared, but it was quickly gone. She figured some soul-reaper, maybe Toshiro, had snuffed it out. She smiled. The sensation of being watched subsided too. She went home, in not as good a mood, but she was content.

The next night she went to _his_ spot. Again he was a no show, and again she felt the creepy eyes roaming hungrily over her. She shivered. She felt a weak hollow, but as quickly as she noticed it was gone.

On the third night she did the same thing. This time she wondered if he was merely avoiding her. She quickly shook off the thought. Somehow she knew he would feel it beneath him to avoid someone intentionally.

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><p>Normally she would have been right about that, but he <em>was<em> avoiding her. He was worried what would come of more contact with Karin. Yet his thoughts kept unintentionally going back to her. Each time he'd curse himself, or Rangiku as if it was her fault.

He really wanted to go back there and look at the sky,_ 'and look at her...Damn-it!'_ He worried that he might let something slip in front of his subordinates. He was always fighting to maintain any illusion of authority and any shred of respect. He felt that he failed miserably most of the time when he actually didn't. True his team tended to goof off, but all (even Rangiku) were reliable when it counted.

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><p>The young captain would be fine for a while than he needed to go check on Ichigo's little sister. Rangiku had learned to stay out of it and only snickered to herself when she knew he was going off on a "peeping mission."<p>

He went several times just to observe. He felt the hollow also, but it was very weak and seemed too far away to find. It never left an impression of what direction it was coming from.

One night he got there later than usual, she was gazing at the purple sky. The girl seemed lost in thought from his advantage he saw her profile. He studied it and decided she was very nice to look at. Her eyes were dreamy black orbs. Her lower lip was pouting. Rangiku's pout always irritated him, but he wanted to kiss Karin's. _'Damn, Damn, Damn, You idiot!'_ He was chastising himself internally when he suddenly got that eerie sensation again. Karin's back straightened up and her expression changed from one of dreaming to one of terror.

"What is that thing?" She whispered to herself. Karin got up to leave. Then it was gone.

The boy decided to follow her home just to make sure she was safe. She didn't look back, but practically ran the entire way home. He fleetly and silently pursued her.

They both breathed a sigh of relief when she got safely inside her house. He returned to the place where that feeling came over him. Not just him, but her too. He felt that the energy was being directed at her. He investigated the shrubs the trees lying in the direction that he felt sure that the evil gaze was coming from, but now there was nothing. Not a hint.

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><p>Rangiku was all set to tease her young Captain when he got home from spying on the Kurosaki girl.<p>

Hitsugaya walked into Orihime's apartment, which they had set up as a make-shift base of operations. He slumped down by the table and grabbed a juice box. He stabbed it like it was an enemy that needed to die painfully.

Before looking up she asked him, "Hey Captain, have you gotten to first base with her yet?"

"What are you talking about Rangiku?" He answered in a distracted and distressed tone.

The Lieutenant's face dropped, "What's the matter did she spurn your advances?" Still trying to be funny and falling flat.

He had his back to her. He was rubbing his forehead in contemplation. He drained the apple juice from its little vaccum sealed box quickly. Rangiku came over to the table and touched his shoulder. He turned to look at her. He looked angry and frustrated. If she hadn't known him better she might have suspected that he had tried and failed to make a move on that girl.

"Captain, what is it?"

"Have you noticed," He started slowly, "Any strange activity from lower level hollows?"

"Why Capitan?" She leaned her huge bust over his head.

A vein popped out on his temple, "Because tonight over by the park I was looking at, ahem," he cleared his throat, "Looking at the sky, when I had the strangest feeling that there was a hollow right underneath my feet, before I could do anything it was gone."

"Was it a strong hollow?" She queried

"Not particularly, but I sensed it was hunting someone." He looked at his drink box and glumly crushed it.

"Ahhhhhh," She said in understanding, "who do you think was being hunted?"

"You know who," he was grumpily toying with the juice box straw.

"Well Sir, it is your duty as her knight in shining armor to protect her. I'll help you," She smiled brightly. Clapping her hands together as if she were ready to get to work, she squealed, "This is going to be so much fun!"

She seemed giddy. Hitsugaya could almost imagine that bubbly blond dressing him up as a knight and putting Karin in some ridiculous overly sexy get-up; as if he didn't also have to strange inclination to fantasize about Karin. He shook his head in shame, and left his subordinate to her sick imagination.

That night he went to bed determined to meet Karin at the spot the next day.

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><p>Whilst Karen, with her covers over her nose had decided he was not coming back. "He hates me, he must. Why would he not go back there otherwise?" Way back in her innermost thoughts something cruel and twisted was looking at her that minute.<p>

Somewhere cruel white teeth glinted in the moonlight. He knew she was thinking about him and he relished tasting her blood. He licked his lips.

"Tomorrow," The thing grinned and cackled in a frightening way that set off car alarms and made dogs bay at the moon.

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><p>Toshiro felt it again and then it was gone.<p> 


	3. Karin the Hunted

Notice: Wednesday, May 11, 2011—I will try to get chapters up quickly, so I will leave a note at the top of each chapter if I do more than one upload in a day. I have thus far uploaded chapters 2 and 3 today, and I am editing chapter 4. You may want to check back later today for more updates.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

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><p><em>Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.<em>

_Warning for the squeamish lots of blood some disturbing language and images from this point on._

Thanks for all the reviews too. :) I really appriciate all of you.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Karin the Hunted<strong>

Karin had bad dreams all night. Something was after her, something with huge white teeth. She felt so tired the next day she plodded to school while Yuzu grilled her about how she felt.

"You should go back home! You look terrible." Yuzu turned a concerned gaze on her sister.

Karin shot a cold look her way. She never did that to Yuzu. She hated herself for it too. Yuzu clasped her hands touching her index fingers together. She sighed in protest, but said nothing else.

Karin felt a small tingling on her neck she slapped at it thinking it was a bug or maybe a spider. She got a cold chill down her spine and stopped to look back.

Yuzu kept walking a few steps before she realized her twin wasn't with her. She turned and yelled, "Hurry up Karin we're already late!"

Once they got to class they were scolded for being late. Yuzu teared up and repeatedly apologized. Karin said nothing but took her seat. She slumped in her desk and pulled her cap over her eyes. Why does it have to be so bright in here? She thought. She felt she was dosing off, when a pair of gleaming black eyes peered in on her mind. She bolted upright.

"Nice of you to join us Miss Kurosaki," The teacher remarked. Woman got out of her seat and went over to further reprimand the usually apt pupil, "Take off that hat and look at me, young lady, when I am speaking to you."

She looked up bleary-eyed. She was pale as the paper on her desk, except her cheeks which were giving off a radiant glow. The teacher felt her head immediately excused herself and took the girl to the school nurse.

In the nurses office they gave her some fever medicine and a cold glass of water. She drank it down not realizing until just than that she was terribly thirsty. The nurse phoned her house, but there was no answer. She looked at the child and tisked.

"Where is your father, Karin?" The nurse asked.

"He is out, He said he would be back by 8 o'clock tonight and Yuzu and I should get dinner for ourselves," Said Karin making excuses. She had no idea where her father was or why he wasn't answering the phone.

"And your big brother? Shall I call the high school and have him come get you?" The nurse bored into Karin with her eyes.

"No ma'am," She sighed, "He is on a trip and won't be back tonight either."

The nurse frowned, "I suppose I should send you home with Yuzu and you can both make up your assignment's later."

"Please ma'am, I'll be alright to walk home myself. It really isn't far." She smiled at the nurse and tried to act as healthy as possible.

"Hmmm, I suppose you can do that." The old lady nodded.

"Please, ma'am tell my sister not to worry, I'll be fine...And have the teacher give her my class work." She feigned another smile and the nurse nodded.

"Don't stop and talk to anybody and go straight home. I'll be calling to check up on you." The nurse lazily waived her off.

Karin knew she'd be forgotten before the lunch bell rang. She put her shoes on and took her things out of her locker. She shouldered the bag which felt heavier than when she had slung it over her shoulder that morning.

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><p>At the first intersection Karin should have gone straight, but she turned and started walking toward the soccer field. She wasn't even aware of where she was going. Her arms got tired so she stopped to lean up against a tree. Again she felt a bug biting her neck. She slapped it and wiped her hand on her shorts; it left a greasy black stain.<p>

She pushed off the tree and looked toward the soccer field, "How did I end up here?" She scratched her head and shrugged. She turned and started up the hill. She got another cold chill down her spine. Her teeth were chattering and she began rubbing her arms. She dropped her backpack again and slumped onto a park bench.

She dozed off. She did not feel the icy gaze set upon her, nor did she feel the hollow.

He was so close he could grab her now, but he knew she was being watched by someone else. Someone he didn't want to have to fight at that moment.

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><p>Toshiro happened to spot Karin on his way to the hill, "What is she doing out of school and all alone?" He followed her. When he realized where she was heading he breezed past her intending to be there first. He sat in his usual spot. Same bored look on his face, texting on his cell phone. She was walking slowly. She felt a little dazed. He didn't look up when she approached.<p>

"Oh, Hello little Toshiro!" She said in a dreamy voice.

That sounded a little too much like Momo. Which made him extremely irritated with her. Without looking up he replied, "I'd prefer it if you did not call me that. So what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?" He added harshly.

Her teeth were chattering. She was looking at him, but he swam in and out of focus, "I just really wanted to see you again," She fell forward. The small soul-reaper caught her just an inch above the sharp edge of the guardrail.

"Karin!" He was shocked, "You are so hot!"

"Thank-you for the complement," She mumbled into his shoulder, she chuckled.

"Why are you out? You are terribly sick," Toshiru shouldered her weight. Not that she weighed much.

"The nurse sent me home from school, and she wanted to send Yuzu with me, but I know that monster is always behind me now." She shuttered than continued, "I was so scared for her. I'm scared, Toshiro." She sobbed, "It's watching us right now."

He did notice a trace of evil in the air. Toshiro picked her up and started toward Karin's house, "Don't worry I'll take you home. Then I'll kill it."

"No-no, don't take me there! Something is wrong there," She began to fight to get loose from him. He held her as gently as he could but her thrashing was making it difficult.

As he approached the Kurosaki home he sensed it. The place was dark. If he left her here she'd be dead before he could get back to her. Karin was thrashing around. She got loose and began to run away. She didn't get far before she fainted, and fell over. He picked her up again and saw that her cheek was cut and bruised. He winced from the look of it, "I'm sorry Karin."

She didn't respond as she was completely unconscious. He popped his soul candy into his mouth and stepped out of his gigai. He ordered his mod-soul to take the girl to Orihime's apartment. He nodded and carried the girl off toward the apartment building.

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><p>Captain Hitsugaya searched for over an hour but had no idea where the hollow might be. Finally he decided it would be best to go check in with his Lieutenant and the girl.<p>

When he entered, he got a slap across the face. Rangiku glared at him, "Look at what you have done to that poor girl. She pointed across the room. Karin was laying on a futon. Staring blankly at the ceiling. Her face was bandaged, but the bruise was clearly visible stretching out across her cheek.

He hung his head in shame, "I'm sorry. I couldn't stop her from falling. Her house is not safe, and we need to post a guard there for tonight. I don't think it is interested in anyone else besides her." He looked over at the girl.

"It's worse Captain. I don't think she's safe now." She grimaced and led him over to her prone body. She lifted the girl up and pulled back the color of her tee-shirt. There was a large black spot on her neck. It looked like someone had injected black ink into her neck. It was spreading out into her veins. "It's gotten bigger since she got here."

"We need to get her to Urahara's. Now!" He began to gather her limp form up when she bolted upright. She screamed and thrashed at the Captain. She scratched his face and kicked at him with her powerful legs. He dodged out of the way. Then she calmed down, but stayed upright and rigid. Neither the small boy nor the woman knew what to do. Rangiku grabbed her phone and left the room. Hitsugaya just sat and stared at her, scowling.

Rangiku hung up the phone as she came back to the girl's side, "They're coming right over," not wishing to say who 'they' was for fear of another outburst.

Hitsugaya decided to try and get closer to her. He approached cautiously. He was within touching distance of her when she turned her head (or something made her head turn) toward him. She stared right past him.

"Go away," she said hoarsely, a tear rolled off her nose, "He doesn't want you near me. He's hurting me. He says he'll stop if you leave me alone. Please." Another big tear brimmed on the corner of her eye. She winced.

Rangiku grabbed her captain and tried to pull him back away from her. He wouldn't budge. He touched her shoulder and picked up a silver thread he had noticed there. His hand went numb, and he felt like he was being pulled away.

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><p>Toshiro blinked and he was in a very dark place. There was screaming. He looked everywhere but could see nothing. He ran toward the sound, footsteps ringing out as if he were running through a long tunnel. He found a white haired figure kneeling over a dark haired girl. It was as though the two had a spotlight trained on them in the blackness nothing else was visible. He recognized both himself and Karin. As he got closer he realized that the other Hitsugaya wasn't kneeling over her, but was holding her down.<p>

"No!" she screamed! Her voice was amplified and seemed to echo off of walls that weren't there, "Why are you hurting me, Toshiro?"

The other him looked at her and laughed, "Because you're a slut and you deserve it. Wouldn't you agree Captain?" The monster looked up at Toshiro. It had his face, but with sharp gleaming teeth. There was blood all over his/its face. It was using his voice.

The captain was enraged, "Get off of her!"

"Why? You want a turn?" It asked in a mocking tone, "I've seen you looking at her. You want to taste her too. Well I hate to disappoint you but there is no taste in here, nor smell. I'll bet that she smells exquisite right now."

Toshiro ran at the false Captain, "Stop right there! If you don't want me to kill her right here and now!" The monster wrapped his claws around her neck and began to squeeze.

Hitsugaya wondered if it could, '_Kill her?'_

'_Oh yes. She may not die physically but her mind will be gone,'_ The groaning voice invaded his head, _'He-he-he-heeeeeee!'_

The things white hair grew shorter and became tinged orange. He stood up and was much taller than Hitsugaya. His face contorted and changed into Ichigo's. It threw her limp, torn body toward Hitsugaya. "I'm bored with this bitch," It was using Ichigo's voice, "I think I will go look for my pretty little Yuzu."

Karin tried to get up but her broken psyche was unable to oblige. She crawled her way toward Hitsugaya, she grabbed at his Kimono, "Save her from him."

He leaned down and gently picked up her broken frame. He held her face to his chest. She struggled, "No! Go save Yuzu! Please! That's not my brother, damn-it!" She collapsed into his chest. The 'dream' Karin was badly hurt but determined to save her sister. Blood was gushing from several bite wounds that covered her torso, arms legs and even her face.

She weakly hit him, "let go of me and save my sister." She looked at him. She leaned in his ear, "Let go Captain. Please let go." She kissed him with her bloody lips. He tasted blood.

* * *

><p>Rangiku was furiously shaking her captain. He starred off blankly. He finally let go of whatever that thread was. His palm was bleeding from four crescent shaped wounds. He had a trickle of blood running out of his mouth. He had nearly bitten through his cheek. He rubbed his sore jaw.<p>

"Captain, what just happened." Rangiku was still shaking him.

"Stop shaking me," Toshiro stutered. He turned away from Karin, "How long have I been out?"

"I don't know," She looked down at the girl, and shook her head.

"I need to find that hollow. He is going to pay!" Hitsugaya gritted his teeth. He felt the low pulse of evil coming from somewhere near.


	4. Fight or Flight

Notice: Wednesday, May 11, 2011—I will try to get chapters up quickly, so I will leave a note at the top of each chapter if I do more than one upload in a day. I have thus far uploaded chapters 2, 3, & 4 today.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.<p>

Warning for the squeamish lots of blood some disturbing language and images from this point on.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Fight or Flight<strong>

* * *

><p>There was a light wrap at the door. Urahara, Tessai, and Renji let themselves in on the strange scene that was playing out.<p>

"What's going on here?" Urahara asked almost smiling, "Let's see looks like Captain Hitsugaya has had a rough afternoon," Noting the blood on his mouth and hand, not to mention the scratches on his cheek. Then he looked past them and saw the rigid Karin. Her breath was coming in shallow puffs. Urahara tisked, "My-my, what have you two been doing?"

Toshiro turned and looked out the window, _'Where are you-you bastard?'_

Gleaming eyes looked back unseen, "Just you come and find me." Those sharp teeth glinted in the sun.

Toshiro turned back to see Urahara examining the girl. He was starting to lift the back of her shirt, "Oh God, what are you doing?" Hitsugaya exclaimed.

"What's the matter? You a little shy?" Urahara's mouth parted into a cocky smile, "Relax, I need to see this 'Dark spot,' Looks like more than a spot though."

Toshiro stalked over trying to avoid looking at Karin's partially exposed torso. He looked only when he was sure he'd see nothing he didn't want to.

Of course he didn't like what he saw. Her back was black and purple. The spot feathered out on all sides and flowed down her spine.

Urahara said, "What's this," picking up a strand of silk thread.

"I wouldn't touch that," Rangiku warned, but it was too late. Urahara shuttered and let go of the thread. He looked back and forth between the young Capitan and his overly chesty Lieutenant.

"Captain please tell us what happened...when you grabbed that string." Rangiku was frowning. She knew that whatever it was it was very upsetting to the boy, but they needed to know. Hitsugaya recanted the vision in every detail. When he had finished no one in the room was smiling, including the usually jovial Urahara.

"That bastard!" Renji exclaimed. He was about to stand up when they all heard a small whine. Karin suddenly fell back. She was shivering violently.

"We need to get her back to the shop." Urahara said in an almost grave tone.

"Last time we tried to move her she freaked out." Rangiku explained. Hitsugaya nodded silently. Everyone took note of the scratches on his face.

"Well let's try it, if she resists I'll be forced to use a binding kidou on her." Urahara announced.

All agreed. Karin behaved (if lying in a catatonic state could be considered behaving.) Tessai picked her up gently and the entire party left the apartment.

Ikkaku and Yumichika were out on patrol they were asked to search for the hollow that was attacking Karin. The hollow seemed to have gone back into hiding though so it wasn't much use.

"So this is Ichigo's little sister?" Renji asked, hoping to break some of the tension. Rangiku obliged with a nod, but said nothing.

* * *

><p>They made it to the store front. Jinta and Ururu were comforting a crying Yuzu. They had apparently gotten Yuzu from school when they learned of the dangerous situation facing the Kurosaki household.<p>

"Is my sister OK?" Yuzu sniffed, and stood up when she saw them coming.

"She'll be fine," Jinta said in an unusually gentle voice, trying to be comforting.

She was about to run over, when Ururu stopped her. Everybody looked tense. The silver thread glinted in the sun, it was being pulled tight. Come to me, a voice in Karin's head spoke and she felt a tug. Karin pushed off of Tessai. She landed in a crouched position.

"Grab her!" Hitsugaya shouted.

Tessai tried but she avoided him easily. Renji tried to block her way he was surprised by an extremely strong downward kick. He felt his shoulder pop. Rangiku got a breathtaking punch to the stomach. Karin avoided Toshiro completely.

No one wanted to hurt Karin, but they had to stop her. She was leaking a huge amount of spiritual pressure. Urahara was even knocked down when she swiped her small leg under both of his. She was very powerful and very fast at that moment. Ikkaku and Yumichika felt the disturbance and headed to Urahara's shop.

Karin slipped through their fingers she was running very fast. Toshiro bolted after her. He was surprised that he was having trouble keeping up. If he had known where she was going he could have used flash step, but he was afraid of overtaking her and losing his way.

The girl ran to the park where she and her friends had been practicing soccer. She turned and went into a wooded area. It was dark in the woods. She went blindly forward. Tree branches and shrubs tore at her clothes and skin. Once she ran into a heavy branch and was knocked down. Toshiro caught up with her, but she slipped away from him again.

They were a good mile from the park now. Finally she stopped and kneeled at the base of a gnarled old tree in a large clearing. There was fear in her eyes, but she was helpless to do anything. Toshiro entered the clearing in time to see the huge tree turning toward Karin. It was hideous. It grinned, showing razor sharp teeth. The thing had a mask embedded in it's trunk. There were little insect-like things crawling over its bark. Although it appeared to be rooted to the ground, it had a far reach; sending one of its ugly branches toward Toshiro.

"Mind your own business, soul-reaper. This girl is mine. I have been waiting so long for such a tasty meal," It laughed with a groaning voice.

Hitsugaya felt something sting his hand he crushed whatever it was. Black goo oozed out of it. His hand felt numb. The tree took another swipe at him. He jumped into the air and narrowly dodged it, but again he felt something sting him. His foot felt numb. He landed awkwardly. The thing laughed at him. Than another sting on his calf, he had trouble standing. Another sting. He was starting to feel weak. He drew his sword, and swiped at the branches. He tried to move toward Karin. The branches blocked his way. Another sting. He lost all feeling in his right arm. Karin was staring at him in astonishment. He was being swarmed upon now.

"Please let him go," she cried hoarsely, "Captain! Go, please!"

"Shut up!" The hollow warned her, "You should not be able to talk, you're mine now!"

"Run Tosh-," The thing slammed her body into a nearby tree.

Toshiro stared in anger. He called on his bankai. Huge ice wings unfurled freezing the branches of the tree, they snapped like dry kindling. The rapports were like gunshots. The monster screamed in pain and commanded his insects to attack.

They came at him in waves. Toshiro froze them. He was charging at the tree with full force and stopped only to close to Karin's bruised cheek. The thing was shielding itself with her limp body.

"Damn you! Monster!" Hitsugaya screamed.

"Keep coming, you are killing her with every inch," Its branches creaked as it tightened its grip.

From somewhere behind the tree there was a flash of light. The tree screamed a curse and lost its grip. The other's had finally caught up. Hitsugaya dived for Karin as she slipped out of the branches. He held her tight.

Karin looked at him and said, "You are so cold. It feels good." She shivered and then passed out again.

"Captain you alright?" Rangiku went to the two children in concern.

Ikkaku was hacking away at the monster sporting a blood thirsty grin, "Let us handle this, Captain. Go get that kid some help."

Hitsugaya nodded sheathing his sword as the ice wings broke apart. Rangiku Shouldered Hitsugaya who was still clutching the girl. She took them back to Urahara's place.


	5. Toshiro's Secret

Notice: Wednesday, May 11, 2011—I will try to get chapters up quickly, so I will leave a note at the top of each chapter if I do more than one upload in a day. I have thus far uploaded chapters 2, 3, 4, & 5 today. This will be the last Chapter for today. I'll try to post Chapter 6 tomorrow morning before I leave, but I have an appointment in the afternoon and its a long drive. :)

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for the squeamish lots of blood some disturbing language and images from this point on.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Toshiro's Secret<strong>

* * *

><p>Both Toshiro and Karin needed help at this point. They were laid down in a back room next to each other. Toshiro, still very numb and only marginally beaten up, and Karin very severely wounded but stable.<p>

He craned his neck to look at Karin. Her cheek was now the least of her worries. She was nowhere near being pretty right then, but she was beautiful all the same to the young captain. He didn't bother cursing himself over the thought. She deserved it. She was strong. She had proven that. "You may be even stronger than your brother, one day," He said to no one.

In the next room he could hear an hysterical Yuzu crying after her sister. Someone said something in a quiet voice to her. She seemed to calm down. Toshiro nodded off.

* * *

><p>He woke up at dawn the next morning. He was sore, but he could move at least. He sat up. There lay Karin. She had been cleaned up and they had done the best they could healing her wounds. Her face looked much better and the gashes were healing fairly quickly. When he looked at her face there was a troubled look there; she was dreaming. He leaned over and took her hand. She squeezed it and calm washed over her face. He sat there like that until he heard someone coming. He was quickly back under his covers pretending to be asleep.<p>

Urahara came to check on the girl. He busied himself with some sort of strange contraption. He placed it on the girl's chest and switched it on. It made a whoosh sound than continued to hum. Blue-green eyes peeked to see what was going on.

"Oh your awake, Captain Hitsugaya," A silly grin broke under the brim of the green and white stripped hat. Toshiro couldn't see it, but he could hear it, "What's that you are doing to her."

"Oh! This?" His smile widened as he explained, "Well this is just a soul detoxifier. Her body is not much of a concern anymore. She has no broken bones, surprisingly...but her spirit has a great deal of poison left in it. That hollow was not quite as weak as he let on, but his tactics really did not require too much strength.

Hitsugaya nodded in agreement. He still felt very weak.

"She's pretty tough, but..." Urahara continued, "You'll need to keep an eye out for this one. She is going to be very vulnerable for a while. The hollows are getting stronger, and hungrier. They seem to have taken to attacking the living, and she is a powerful psychic so she will be even more tempting to them."

Urahara handed the boy a newspaper. On the front page there was a smiling girl not unlike Karin. The captain under the picture read. 'Missing, Presumed dead.' He read the story it continued on another page. He opened it. The story continued with more pictures. All the girls were tomboyish, with dark hair and eyes.

"How many did it kill?"

"I wish I knew." Urahara replied darkly.

"How could this have been going on so long?" He rose up angrily.

"Calm down Captain," He pushed the boy back down, "You need to rest. There is no way any of us could have known what a particularly mediocre hollow was doing-with all the 'big fry' out there. Anyway you saved her." He tilted his hatted head toward Karin. Hitsugaya hated himself. He could have prevented this whole damn thing if he'd been thinking clearly.

I'll make it up to her somehow, He said to himself, frowning.

* * *

><p>Urahara left the room. Toshiro was glad to be rid of that creepy jerk for the time being. It seemed pretty quiet. He crept over to her. The peaceful expression returned to her face with the touch of his hand. She snored quietly. His mouth came dangerously close to a smile. She rolled over and rested her head on his lap. He panicked, backed away and her face slid to the floor. Her eyes fluttered open and he reproached himself. He assisted her back into a more comfortable position. She took his hand. It was much more uncomfortable to hold her hand while she was awake. <em>'That's preposterous!' <em>He thought, but it was true.

"Capitan?" She said in barely a whisper, "Are you alright? Your hands are so cold. You're not sick are you?"

"No, people tell me I'm one cold son-of-a-"

She cut him off, "Don't say that she," glared at him. He felt the weight of her stern gaze. She definitely looked just like Ichigo

"You look just like him," Toshiro commented.

She knew who 'him' was, she broke her gaze. She looked out the window, "Everybody says that."

She was pouting a little. He so wanted to kiss it off her face. He felt himself leaning forward involuntarily.

She said suddenly, "It looked like you," He stopped moving, beads of sweat broke on his forehead.

She went on, "The hollow, I mean...In my head, but you (the real you) was there too. Weren't you? ...And you tried to stop it. It was using people against me. The people I love." He could barely hear her. The two of them were blushing, "You saved me in there-" He cut her off.

"But I-" He closed his mouth.

"But you reminded me that they were not real. You are real." She squeezed his hand as if to emphasize her point. It took him a few minutes to realize that the word love had crossed her lips.

Does she mean to say that she loves me? He thought to himself. She fell back to sleep. He Thought that it was hardly fair of her to say something like that than go to sleep. He let go of her hand the peaceful look stayed for a while. He found his white haori neatly folded and laying on the dresser next to his futon. He pulled it on over his black kimono went out to check on his subordinates.


	6. Ways to Annoy Other People

Notice: Thursday, May 12, 2011—I will try to get chapters up quickly, so I will leave a note at the top of each chapter if I do more than one upload in a day. I have thus far uploaded chapter 6 today. Yesterday I posted Chapters 2-5 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.<p>

This one's short but I think the comedy relief is a nice tension breaker. :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: Ways to Annoy Other People<strong>

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><p>Karin woke up with Renji's face nose to nose with her own. He was scrutinizing her. She punched his jaw.<p>

"What the hell was that for?" He fell backward to the floor.

"What do you mean? Don't you have any manners?" She glared at him.

Renji would have laughed, she looked so much like Ichigo...But her eyes were filled with terror. He felt really bad, and apologized. She only shrugged it off as if it was nothing.

* * *

><p>All the soul reapers went in turn to examine Ichigo's sister. Ikkaku made the same mistake as Renji and lost a tooth for it.<p>

"Lucky brat," He muttered as he walked away rubbing his jaw.

Toshiro wanted to see her alone, but she never was alone. Yuzu haunted the place, to Jinta's delight. She only left for school and to go home at night. When Yuzu was absent someone would always be with her. All of the mod-souls, Con included visited with her. Chad made a short and silent appearance when he was resting from his training. Karin slept most of the time anyhow.

Yuzu didn't know why Karin could not, or would not go home. Their dad seemed ok with her being here. Jinta walked her home every night. He was on cloud nine. Toshiro noted this jealously. He was growing frustrated with the situation.

* * *

><p>"Captain Hitsugaya sure is moody as of late, I mean even more than usual." Renji commented to Rangiku one day as they were sipping tea at Orihime's place. Her brow twitched and she choked down her tea.<p>

"What'd I say?" He eyed her suspiciously.

She coughed, "Nothing, tea just went down the wrong way," Mopping the split tea off her cleavage.

Renji smiled, "You know something about the Captain, you aren't telling.

"Of course not!" She feigned shock.

"Does it have to do with Ichigo's sister?" Renji carelessly threw out the statement not knowing how close to the truth he really was.

Rangiku looked at him.

"No way!" Renji slapped his hand on the table. He bellowed with laughter. "That little perv! He has a thing for Ichigo's sister," Renji wiped a tear from his eye, "I didn't know he had it in him. Ichigo's going to kill him."

Rangiku groaned at what her superior was going to say, but really, how long could he keep it a secret?


	7. Peeping Toshiro

Notice: Thursday, May 12, 2011—I will try to get chapters up quickly, so I will leave a note at the top of each chapter if I do more than one upload in a day. I have thus far uploaded chapters 6 & 7 today. Yesterday I posted Chapters 2-5 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

This story is far from over, just so you know.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Peeping Toshiro<strong>

* * *

><p>The captain had long been well enough to go back on duty. At least he could get away from those idiots he calls subordinates. He longed to bring Karin back to their spot to look at the sky together. She was still not well enough to go anywhere.<p>

Finally a few weeks passed by, and Urahara had said it was safe for her to go back home. He thought he'd check her bedroom later.

That night he did check up on her, she was sleeping in a small dark room. There were pictures of soccer players, a desk neatly piled with books and stacks of papers from her school. It reminded him of the stacks of paper work piling up on his desk back in the soul society.

"What am I going to do when this is over? I can't bring her with me, and I'll not be able to visit." He looked in her window. She was sleeping on her stomach, with her arms stretched above her head.

He sighed. His face was cold as ever, but he felt a burning desire to grab her and kiss her. He watched her most of the night, but a hollow appeared and he had to go. When he got back the sun was coming up. He looked in on her. She was up. Actually she was in the midst of changing her shirt. He turned bright red. She thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned and looked but there wasn't anything there.

Toshiro decided he had better try a more conventional means of getting to her, so he leaped off the Kurosakis' roof and rang the doorbell. He waited patiently. Five minutes or so passed. He was about to try again, when the door opened. It was Karin. She was in a white tee-shirt, and blue jean shorts that showed just a little too much of her legs. Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow.

"Hello, Tosh-Captain." She smiled weakly.

"Toshiro is fine. Please call me that." He was playing it cool.

"Oh, ok," She said shyly.

"Would you feel up to a game of soccer?" He asked, _'of course she wouldn't you idiot.'_

"I wish, but I'm not supposed to do much. Mr. Urahara told me to take it easy," She felt a little flushed.

"Could I um- take you to the park?" He asked betraying a little too much of his feelings. She blushed and nodded her approval.

He took her hand and led her out. He kept a slow pace so he'd not wear her out. She seemed a little jumpy. She kept very close. Normally this would have annoyed him, but he found her presence comfortable.

He stopped at an ice stall and bought two shaved ices. He didn't ask what she'd like he just ordered and handed one to her.

"What is it?" She looked at him.

"It's a shaved ice you dope." He smiled, actually he grinned. No one, not even Momo had ever made him smile like that.

She poked him in the ribs, "I mean what flavor is it."

"Taste it and find out." He slurped his ice.

She licked it. It was melon flavored. Hers was orange, and it tasted like cantaloupe. She wondered what flavor he had. His ice was red. It smelled like watermelon. He caught her smelling his ice, which _was_ water melon flavored, "Keep your nose out of my ice," He breathed icy breath into her ear.

She shivered, "Did anyone ever tell you, you are one cold son-of-a."

"Watch your mouth Miss Kurosaki," He stifled a laugh.

They were walking along the path in the park. She started to feel dizzy. She stumbled. He caught her by the waist. She tried to push away. He looked in her eyes. She thought he was going to kiss her, but he only asked if she were alright.

"I'm just a little dizzy." She said apologetically.

He held on to her waist which made her face turn red. He led her to a bench in the shade of an old maple tree. They sat down. He was still holding her waist. Has he forgotten he put it there? She looked at his hand than at his face. He let go of her reluctantly.

He looked down at her long legs. They were very attractive. _'What a pervert you are,'_ chimed in his head. He felt guilty, but he wanted to touch her legs. He looked down at his ice; it was melting and about to spill out of the little paper cone. He worked on it until it was a manageable puddle. Karin was sipping her melted ice too quickly. She inhaled deeply and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"You alright?" He looked very serious.

"Brain freeze." She looked at him through watery eyes. He looked puzzled. She explained, "You know when you eat something cold to fast."

"I've never experienced that sensation." He stated flatly.

"Well we mere mortals have that problem." She sarcastically grinned.

His mouth twitched. It was relief to hear sarcasm cross her lips. She had been so meek (towards him at least) since that night. He missed the 'old' Karin. Karin smiled back showing her white teeth. Toshiro felt the urge to lean in and kiss her. He was inching closer to her mouth. Karin distractedly dropped what was left of her ice into her lap. She jumped and they bumped heads. She stood up and began brushing orange water and slush off her legs. Toshiro could not help but look at her legs as she was wipping them off. She looked at him he looked away embarrassed.

She shivered, "Can we find a sunny spot so I can dry off?"

"OK," he got up and followed her. She chose a patch of soft grass away from any trees. She stretched out her legs and leaned back in the sun. He sat next to her facing away from her; otherwise he may get caught staring at her again.

"So, are you completely healed Toshiro?" The girl asked.

"Yes," He mumbled.

"Can you turn around and look at me?"

"Huh?" he grunted pretending not to know what she was talking about.

"I don't mind when you look at my legs, I catch other boys doing that all the time." She leaned into his view a little. He did not want to admit to her that he had been staring. She poked him in the back.

"Ouch!" What was that for?

"Just turn around and look at me," He finally turned and looked she was sitting with her legs crossed, "It that less distracting?"

"No it isn't." He stated coldly and looked away.

"Ok you can ignore me if you want, you asked me to come with you. I'll just go home," True to her word she got up and was about to leave when he caught her hand and pulled her back down. They sat there quietly.

"So you've noticed boys looking at you like that?" his voice betrayed a hint of jealousy.

"Well mostly I have caught them looking at Yuzu. She is much prettier than me." Hitsugaya did not think so.

"What do you do then?" He asked curiously.

"If it's me I don't pay attention, but I can't let them treat Yuzu like that. I hit anyone I feel is trying to take advantage of my sister."

Hitsugaya took note of what she said about herself. He doubted that it did bother her but he thought more guys would be looking at her than she just let on.


	8. Karin Proves Her Point

Notice: Thursday, May 12, 2011—I will try to get chapters up quickly, so I will leave a note at the top of each chapter if I do more than one upload in a day. I have thus far uploaded chapters 6, 7 & 8 today. Yesterday I posted Chapters 2-5 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Karin is very headstrong and stubborn. She is about to demonstrate this to the white haired soul-reaper.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Karin Proves Her Point<strong>

* * *

><p>On the walk back to her house he noticed, like it had not been there before. Guys her age and older were staring at her legs and her backside. He hated this and wanted to beat the crap out of every one of them, but hadn't he been doing the same thing to her? He restrained himself.<p>

What worried him most were the older boys. Some of them looked like they could be dangerous. Karin was still pretty drained. Even at full strength, if she were caught off guard than she'd be in trouble.

She stopped. He was so busy thinking that he walked right into her. She stumbled forward, but managed not to fall, "What's wrong?" She asked sensing the sudden hostility. The white haired boy said nothing.

"Are you OK? You're not angry with me for something I have done? Are you?"

He relaxed, "No, sorry about that. You shouldn't go anywhere alone, though, especially now."

"What are you talking about? Is this about what I said earlier? Boys look at girls like that all the time. I'll be fine." She cocked her head back. She looked very alluring in that pose, He thought.

He did not want to say anything and make her worry or worse, accuse him of trying to control her. He shrugged it off and took the lead, "Where would you like to go now?"

"Well seeing as I have melon juice on my shorts and my legs are sticky I think I should go home and shower." She turned and started walking the other way pulling him along.

"Oh, OK." He went with her.

When she got home she made him promise to stay down stairs while she went and washed up and changed.

She came down in something a little too frilly to be hers. It must have been her sister's. Is she punishing me for what I said? He groaned to himself. She was wearing a pastel blue shirt that was cut kind of low and had very short sleeves that were cinched with little white bows. She was wearing a pair of short white pants that seemed to go with the shirt. The legs were cinched at the knee with blue ribbon and white sandals with just the slightest bit of a heel. Her hair was parted to the side, instead of brushed straight back. She looked very pretty.

"I'm feeling much better," She grinned menacingly at him.

Uh-oh, she looks mad, He thought.

"Let's go." she kind of glared at him. She offered her hand and pulled him back out the door.

Now walking down the crowded street he really noticed it. He was getting angry. He heard some guy whistle at her. Before he could react she had turned and with a single look frightened the poor guy to death. As she pulled him along this happened a many times, each time he'd just stay back and watch. She would glare, confront, and even throttle would be harassers. Toshiro was actually starting to enjoy it, except he was getting scared of her (just a little).

She smiled at him, "See."

He finally had seen enough, "Alright I get it. You can take care of yourself. Have you ever done anything like that before?"

"No'" She was only to certain that she had proved her point when a wave of dizziness hit and she fell into his arms again. He brought her to a chair at an outdoor cafe and set her in it.

"See." He said coldly. He wasn't smiling, "you look like you could use something to drink. He went to the counter and ordered her a soda.

He came back and handed it to her, scowling. She thanked him, and sipped at the sugary beverage. He sat across from her and looked into her eyes. Neither of them was really angry anymore.

"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time.

"What do you want to do now?" She asked.

"I'd like to take you home so you can put some more clothes on." His mouth parted into a small smile.

"Well you can forget that, If my dad sees me in this outfit," She looked at him with a dead straight-faced, "He'd kill you."

"Why me? You are the one who's wearing it." He defended himself.

"But you are the boy I'll be standing next to when he sees me wearing it." She felt satisfied that she'd trumped him. He let her have the win. He was enjoying himself a little too much, he thought.

He noticed that she really did look tired. He got up, "I should take you home though."

"I'm fine," She tried to get up but fell back into her seat. He took her hand and helped her up they walked home together. He tried to ignore the other guys ogling her.

And she doesn't think she is that pretty. He sighed in frustration.

He kept her close, for fear of losing her to someone else. How could she come to mean so much to me in such a short time? He had no idea, he finally just accepted it.

When they got home he said goodbye, they did not kiss. Both wondered why.


	9. School Boy Frenzy

Notice: Thursday, May 12, 2011—I will try to get chapters up quickly, so I will leave a note at the top of each chapter if I do more than one upload in a day. I have thus far uploaded chapters 6, 7, 8 & 9 today. Yesterday I posted Chapters 2-5 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

_I know Karin was acting a little like a stupid tease last chapter. She is about to get her comeuppance in this chapter._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: School Boy Frenzy<strong>

* * *

><p>The next day she went back to school. Her friends greeted her enthusiastically. She was happy to be back, and only sorry she was still too weak to play soccer. She resumed learning almost without a hitch. She had somehow managed to finish her school work.<p>

She would have never finished if a certain White haired boy had not insisted on helping her. She flatly refused to let him actually do any work for her, but he checked her work and proofread her homework, and kept her on task. She finished in almost no time at all. When she asked him if he was supposed to be out paroling or something. He said his shift was later. She cocked an eyebrow. He had said that several times, and it was really late when she asked the last time. She hoped she was not keeping him from his job.

She noticed a change at school. Her male friends were acting strange. Some of the boys that had never talked to her came up to her and made small talk. She was even asked by a boy, if he could walk her home. She declined indicating that she planned to walk with Yuzu.

But he said to this, "Well, Yuzu has been leaving with some red haired boy every afternoon. Everyone says that they're dating." This was news to Karin.

She still declined. He left dejected. '_I'd rather walk alone than with **any** of these boys."_ Thinking of how jealous the little soul-reaper had gotten the previous day.

She walked to the spot on the hill hoping to meet Toshiro, thinking she had shaken off her admirers. Apparently she was the prettiest unattached girl left in the whole school. One of Yuzu's friends had explained that when she was sick there had been some pairing off and all the guys were trying to get girlfriends. There was going to be a school dance and there were very few desirable females left without dates. There was a big pool of Karin Kurosaki fans apparently that had harbored secret crushes, but were too scared of her to approach. Since she came back she seemed more approachable, so they _were_ approaching. More like they were vultures circling what they thought was easy prey.

Yuzu and her friends were giggling as they discussed the dance. Yuzu planned on inviting Jinta to the dance. That saved her from the frenzy that Karin was facing. Yuzu left many broken hearts, and unfortunately most of them migrated to Karin's side of the pasture while she was out sick. So a strange thing happened. She started to feel self-conscious around the boys at school. She felt them staring at her and for the first time it bothered her. She finally noticed about nine or ten boys from her class walking behind her. She decided not to wait for Toshiro and ran home.

* * *

><p>The next day Yuzu had to push her sister out the door to go to school. There was Jinta waiting. Yuzu ran up to him and kissed his cheek. His face grew as red as his hair. She took his hand and they walked together. Yuzu looked very happy; Jinta looked very in love.<p>

She was miserable. When she got to class she found flowers on her desk and a small box of heart candies. That horrid chalky kind with stupid love sayings printed on them. She handed the gifts off to the other girls who did not seem to mind wilted carnations or chalky candy.

She had not a minute to herself. At lunch a fight broke out because two boys tried to sit next to her and one of them ended up in the floor. Karin ended up with a bowl of rice in her hair. She stalked off to the girl's bathroom to clean herself up. Only to find more boys waiting outside the bathroom when she came out. They followed her, everywhere. At one point one boy actually followed her into the bathroom, she sent him running with a bloody nose...but there were more where that one came from.

She was relieved to hear the end of day bell ring. She left followed by about fifteen boys, some in the class ahead of her and some even younger than her. Two in particular were rivals, and everybody had money on one or the other boy would get to go out with Karin.

Karin had a headache and was rubbing her temple. She thought she'd never get away from "THEM." She was surprised however to find Toshiro waiting for her outside the school. This caused an even bigger uproar than Yuzu and Jinta. The throng of guys that would have loved to walk Karin Kurusaki home were livid. There was grumbling.

"Who is that?"

"He looks like such a wanna-be!" someone said snidely.

"Look at that ridiculous hair. How do you even get it to stick up like that?" another little boy exclaimed.

One of Karin's soccer buddies volunteered his name, "That's Toshiro. Toshiro Hitsugaya."

Toshiro took this all in stride. He was almost as surprised by this childish display as Karin had been. It was fine until someone made the mistake of saying, "But he's so short."

A vein pulsed in his forehead, Karin ran to intervene, "Let it go. They are just trying to start a fight."

"Well it's working!" He grunted and tried to get past her.

She hit him over the head with her back pack. And handed it to him, "Carry this."

They walked off together. Neither feeling the daggers glares being pointed at them. Mostly at Toshiro. She explained the situation to the surprised little Captain. He did not think it was as funny as she did. She really did not think it was funny but let on that she did so he'd not be so upset. It didn't work.

"Those creeps were following you!" His vein pulsed. He looked ready to kill someone.

"Well you followed me. You just were better at it." She smiled, teasingly. She slipped her hand into his and they walked together.

"They're following us right now aren't they?" She looked back. One straggler jumped behind a park bench.

"Yes," he said in an irritated tone.

"Just ignore them. They will have to find a new object of worship now. Only one guy is allowed to worship me," Her lips parted in a smile and then she kissed him. He stopped being angry, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She blushed but did not protest.

One by one the other boys stalked off, disgusted.

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><p><em>P<em>_lot gets a little dark in the next few chapters to come. It covers a sensitive subject. I actually felt like crying as I wrote it. Just remember Karin does come out of it ok and she will become stronger for her hardships. Oh and I don't mean to make her out to be a damsel in distress, but right now she is still weak from her encounter with that strange hollow and she can't keep herself out of trouble._


	10. Human Troubles

Notice: Thursday, May 12, 2011—I will try to get chapters up quickly, so I will leave a note at the top of each chapter if I do more than one upload in a day. I have thus far uploaded chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 today. Yesterday I posted Chapters 2-5 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

When I wrote this I didn't realize how inappropiate some of their behavior really is. I have them set at around 12 or 13 physically, and when I was that age the other girls in my class seemed to behave likr this. Still...You can be the judge. Also warning for sexual assult and violence.

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Human Troubles<strong>

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><p>Karin and Toshiro walked arm and arm, "So what made you come to my school today?"<p>

His eyebrow twitched characteristically. She recognized irritation in his expression. She grinned, _'this has to be good.'_ She stopped and turned toward him, "tell me." Her eyes were dancing.

He made a disgusted grunt. He bestowed a stony look on her. She put her arms around him and nuzzled his ear and whispered, "That look won't work on me."

A smile played on his lips, but he kept his silence. She kissed the corner of his mouth. _'Damn that woman! Why does she have to make things so difficult?'_ he felt weak against her charms; she finally broke him. "Fine," He grumbled

She pulled free and laughed, "Let's go to 'the' spot. You can tell me while we look at the sky."

At this point he couldn't care less about the sky. He looked at his hand it was still tingling. Karin had left him behind. He looked up and she was at 'their' spot. He walked after her. She was sitting in the grass leaning back against the guardrail that almost sliced her head open only a few weeks ago. It made him think about how short their time really was. He took a seat next to her.

She poked him in the ribs, "Well?"

He sighed, "Well Jinta was saying you were being harassed at School. I thought I'd go check on you."

The scene that played out at Urahara's last night looked more looked more like this...

* * *

><p><em>...Jinta was careful not to hurt Yuzu's feelings so he held his laughter until he was on his way home. He actually laughed until he was crying. When he got back to the shop, there Chad, Renji, Hitsugaya, and Urahara were discussing the lack of appearances by any really strong hollows in the last three weeks.<em>

_They all looked at him. "You alright kid?" Renji asked._

_Jinta looked at them, with a huge grin, "You'll never believe what I just saw."_

_They all stared at him. "What was it you saw?" Urahara grinned back._

_"Well," He began, "I went to pick Yuzu up at her school," Jinta blushed at this._

_"Anyway I guess her sister had started back to school today. When she came out of the school there were at least ten boys behind her. She was ignoring them, but they were going right behind her, pushing and shoving each other. One of them accidentally bumped into her. She actually punched him. I think she broke the poor guy's nose." Jinta's story was broken by his fits of laughter. Renji's mouth twitched as he looked sideways at the little captain, he was fighting a losing battle with laughter. Urahara just grinned that silly grin and glanced at the crop of white hair floating over a red face that seemed to be dominated by an angrily throbbing vein..._

* * *

><p>Karin broke this ugly memory, "Sooooo-Basically you came to claim your property." She pretended to be angry about this-actually she was delighted that he felt so strongly. However she turned her head in mock disgust.<p>

"It's not like that at all," Really it was, "I was just worried about you."

She laughed at him; He turned and tackled her in a bear hug. "Heard you broke some guy's nose yesterday." He was leaning his head on her shoulder.

"It's possible, I've done it before." She shrugged.

"You are one frightening woman, Miss Kurosaki." He inhaled deeply.

"Thank you." She reached up behind and ran her fingers through his hair.

They stayed there until the stars came out. He took her home.

* * *

><p>The next morning, when the twins came out there were two boys waiting. One with gravity defying white spiky hair, blue-green eyes, and an icy demeanor; the other with red hair and a scowl on his face. Yuzu took Jinta and walked ahead. Jinta looked back angrily at Hitsugaya. He in return glared at Jinta.<p>

Toshiro kept his distance from Karin. She noticed this, Why is he acting like this, She spoke up, "Are you angry with me?"

"No, of course not," He looked back. She followed his gaze. His four subordinates were all there following nonchalantly. They seemed genuinely entertained. She was a little irritated herself, "What's that all about?"

* * *

><p>Apparently, Jinta had another funny story to recant, about how Captain Hitsugaya almost got into a fight with a bunch of the boys at Yuzu's school. The ones that had been following Yuzu's sister (With Jinta everything was really about Yuzu).<p>

Than Jinta had to mention that He saw Hitsugaya and Karin embracing last night on his way back to Urahara's Shop. Which seemed strange since it was out of his way.

When Karin heard this short version of what happened (Hitsugaya left out the undignified fight that had broken out between he and Jinta earlier that morning) Karin was livid. She jumped on Jinta, "You spying little creep!"

"What's wrong?" Yuzu looking between Jinta and Karin. Jinta glanced over toward Karin guiltily.

Karin brushed past them, shot a cold look back at everybody and bolted.

Toshiro decided not to run after her; seeing that she was upset, and perhaps for the more selfish reason that he'd been humiliated. He instead jumped a tall fence, thinking, she must have made it into school already.

* * *

><p>Karin had no intention of going back to school. She did not want to go home. She instead went to the ruined soccer field. There was construction equipment on the field. A jerry-rigged fence surrounded the field with KEEP OUT signs posted everywhere.<p>

She chose to ignore the warnings. She easily slipped through the make shift fence where there was a gap of loose chain-link. She heard shouting, as she squeezed through the fence. She looked up to see some middle schoolers playing soccer on the little piece of field not covered with construction equipment or the crater they had been repairing. She noted that the biggest and loudest boy was the same one who she had challenged to a match that resulted in she and Toshiro...well..._hooking up_.

She decided it'd be bad to be seen here, so she tried to back out the way she had come. The only problem with this was the wire fencing had caught the back of her shirt and was digging into her back and left shoulder. She was caught. As she struggled to free herself a soccer ball stopped right at her feet.

"Oh-no," she breathed.

"Hello little girl," The biggest boy called, "What's the matter? You stuck?" He was taunting her. The others all laughing and mocking her. She stared back in defiance.

A look of recognition crossed his face. His mocking smirk became menacing.

He looked back at his friends, "Why don't you guys take off."

There was a consensus of unease passing through the group, "You ain't really going to hurt her are you?" One of them asked.

"No, just go on back. I think we're going to need some privacy," the other boys looked uncomfortable, but backed away.

Karin resumed her struggle, _'I'm so stupid! Why'd I come here?'_

* * *

><p>Hitsugaya felt guilty about letting her go, but what could he do now. He just wandered the street in moody contemplation. His cell phone rang. He wanted to ignore it but his sense of responsibility hadn't laxed that much.<p>

"Yes?"

"Sir, I'm really sorry, we all are," Rangiku's voice came through, she sounded worried.

"What's happened to her?" His voice was cold.

"We can't find her. She wasn't at school. Jinta came to find me. Yuzu was with him. They said she never went in this morning."

Toshiro was horrified. On the other end Rangiku heard the breath leave her Captain as if he'd been sucker punched. The line was disconnected. Toshiro needed a second to recover, "I hope she is safe." If he found her safe he would be giving her a severe tongue-lashing.

* * *

><p>The boy approached Karin. She kicked at him. He was only able to avoid because she was painfully caught.<p>

"You're just caught like a widdle wabbit." he lisped at her.

Her eyes smoldered with hatred. He looked her over head to toe. Her hair had grown out a little and it was parted to the side. It made her features more feminine. There was anger in her eyes, and mouth defiantly pouting.

_'For a grade school kid she's pretty hot,'_ He thought to himself as his eyes roamed her figure, "How old are you anyway?"

She didn't reply. She felt the sharp wire sinking excruciatingly slowly into her shoulder.

He approached again. Circling like a predator. He came at her side. He grabbed at her shoulders and forcibly removed her. Fabric and flesh ripped. "You got a boyfriend, baby?" He asked as she struggled with him, "Maybe that little white haired brat?" She tried to kick him, her shoe flew off.

"Don't do that, I'm not going to hurt you." He wrapped one hand around her waist put the other under her chin, and tilted her face up. He was going in for a kiss, "You know that pout is really sexy. Oof-" She kneed him in the groin.

He let go of her. Karin ran as fast as she could. She had no idea how long it'd take him to recover. She got to the other side of the field she couldn't find a gap she could squeeze through so she painfully hoisted herself up. She looked back to make sure the older boy was still down.

He had made it to his feet, and was hobbling toward her. The look in his eyes was all she needed to see to know what he intended to do to her. She continued her assent, he started to run. He got to the fence as she was swinging her leg over he caught her other shoe. She slipped out of it and landed roughly on the other side of the fence. He pounded the fence with her shoe, and screamed obscenities at her.

"Come back here you little bitch!"

She kept running until she fell to the ground exhausted. She felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. She reached back to feel the wound. Her back was hot and wet with blood. She found sharp piece of wire sticking trough the shredded remains of her shirt. She pulled it out. She screamed as she removed it, but it felt like it all came out at least.

She heard footsteps running her way, so she got up and limped into a nearby alley. She sunk down against a wall behind a dumpster. She couldn't control her breathing; she tried to stifle it with her hands.

* * *

><p>Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Rangiku spread out to look again. Captain Hitsugaya looked in the most likely spots-'their' spot, the park and the soccer field. He had often noted her looking at it as she went past it. He tried the hill first as it was the closest. She wasn't there. Then ran to the field. There his fear was realized.<p>

There were traces of shredded cloth and blood on the fence. About one hundred feet away lay a shoe at the edge of the crater, her shoe. He spotted the other lying by the opposite fence. He saw blood drops and two sets of footprints, in the dust. One set of small bare feet and a set of much larger sneakers.

He leaped over the fence and headed in the direction of the foot prints. Toshiro tried to sense her spirit. She was much better at hiding it than her brother, "One way they are different, DAMN!" He gritted his teeth. On the ground he saw a trail of red droplets. He followed it. It stopped at a small puddle. He wondered how badly she was hurt and how close was she to bleeding to death. His face was grim.

* * *

><p>Karin heard someone walking toward her. She held her hands over her mouth she thought she'd pass out if she didn't breathe soon. Toshiro came around the dumpster. She took her hands away from her mouth and gasped for air. She tried to get up but her legs cramped up underneath her. He lifted her away from the grimy alley wall there were streaks of pink mingling with a green algae like substance, and there was a pool of blood at the base of the wall. She was still bleeding heavily.<p>

"Why—do—I—get—my-self-into—these-messes?" She gasped hoarsely.

"Don't talk." He took off his shirt and held it to her back. He phoned Rangiku, "I found her she's hurt, but safe. I will br—" The phone went dead.

* * *

><p>"Captain, captain!" She shouted. Checked his last location. She headed there. As she was going she called off the search and explained that she was worried because his phone went dead.<p>

* * *

><p>"I will br-" His phone was knocked out of his hand by the angry teenager.<p>

"Take that you little punk." He sneered.

Not forgetting the serious danger Karin was in, his vein throbbed, "What did you call me."

"I called you a punk." The older looking boy reached back as if to punch.

Hitsugaya landed a mind numbing blow to the larger boy's chin, "You called me little." He glared and the now unconscious teen.

He turned to see Karin had slunk back against the wall.

He grabbed his phone, "Damn, it's broken."

He held out his hand to her, she took it weakly. She was so angry at herself. He has saved her at least three times, no four. I'm so pathetic. She thought. He piggybacked her out of the alley. Blood was clotting on his shirt, "I'm sorry about your shirt, and about running away."

"It's alright, not your fault. Looks like you gave that boy a lot of trouble. He's going to have a bad headache when he wakes up." Toshiro sounded unemotional, but was very relieved

"I feel so pathetic; I'm too weak to take care of myself." She said through pale lips.

"You have to let your body and soul recover. Give it time. I saw you do some pretty amazing things that time when you were attacked by the tree hollow. You even surprised Urahara, knocked him off his feet. Not just anybody can say they've done that."

"I don't remember much of that night; she shuttered thinking of things that were going on inside of her mind rather than outside."

"I'm sorry I should not have brought that up."

"It's OK." She rested her head on his back, and closed her eyes.

* * *

><p><em>I almost referred to the hollow as a hollow tree, lol , but that just sounded weird. Sighs heavily Next chapter has some soul-reaper hollow action.<em>


	11. What now?

Notice: Friday, May 13, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 11. Yesterday I posted Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Last chapter got a little dark, but there are still some even darker events to happen. I hope I don't upset anybody. I do give you a break in this chapter. It's a lot lighter. I hope you enjoy the action scenes. I hope I executed them to your liking.

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><p><strong>Chapter 11: What now? <strong>

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><p>When Rangiku found them, Captain Hitsugaya had the girl's limp body draped over his back. Karin had bled through the shirt the boy had put on her. There was dried blood down her back and on her legs. Most of the blood seeping from a deep gash she herself had created when she pulled the wire out of her shoulder. It had finally started to slow.<p>

"She gets into a lot of trouble on her own, Captain." Rangiku said, not trying to be unkind.

He hated to admit it, "Yes, she often seeks it out."

"What are we going to do with you?" Rangiku lifted a stray hair from her face. Her heart welled up. "There's a first aid kit at Orihime's let's just take her there." Rangiku offered to carry Karin for a while.

"No! ...I mean I have her she's not heavy at all." He was too worried to act cold. He was almost frantic.

His lieutenant was more concerned with him than the girl. _'Captain please, don't let this interfere with your duties, I'd hate for something to happen to you, You are the best captain I have served under!'_ Rangiku thought this, but would never admit it to her superior.

She ran along behind the two of them. They got to back to the apartment. Rangiku had already notified the others that the two of them were safe.

"Let's get her patched up." Rangiku said as cheerfully as she could, "Please, set her down on the futon." he obliged. Rangiku carefully lifted his shirt from her back, it stuck a little and when she removed it the bleeding started up again. Than Rangiku began cutting the remains of her shirt from her back, with a pair of scissors she had found in the kitchen. Toshiro grunted and got up, "I'm going to go get cleaned up." Toshiro left the room.

His Lieutenant smirked, _'He's so cute'_. Rangiku began cleaning her up. When Toshiro came back she was patching Karin's shoulder. Karin seemed to be sleeping. She had a troubled look on her face.

'_Nightmares,'_ Toshiro assumed. He wanted to comfort her, but he was afraid she might roll over; she was still not wearing a shirt. He got one of his own and handed it to Rangiku; she certainly could not wear hers anymore. It had been so torn that Rangiku just cut it off her to save time.

"Please put that on her," He turned his back on the two of them.

"OK, it's safe, Captain," He heard the mocking in her voice, "You know she's probably going to get blood on this one too. That's two shirts; I'm going to have to take you clothes shopping soon." He looked coldly at Rangiku.

He observed Karin resting on her stomach in his shirt and thought, _'she looks nice in that shirt.'_

"Awe, she looks cute in your shirt," Rangiku teased.

"She looks weird," He lied. Rangiku knew he was lying, but chose to let it go.

Karin seemed more comfortable. So the two soul-reapers sat at the table drinking tea.

Suddenly there was a pulse of dark energy. It was extremely strong. Then another, and another, all in different areas of the City. Captain Hitsugaya got a call from the soul-society. He nodded, "Yes we just sensed them." They left their mod-souls in charge of the sleeping girl. There were three arrancars, but none near the apartment.

"Take care of the girl. If she needs anything get it for her. If the fight gets too close, get her to a safe place." Captain said to his little counterpart.

The other him nodded, and in an unemotional tone replied, "Right."

"You, just stay out of his way!" Rangiku ordered her mod-soul.

The other Rangiku shrugged and switched on the television.

They left. Hitsugaya looked back. He hated to leave her alone, thought she wasn't technically alone.

"There not espada," Rangiku said to her captain, "I'll take the one to the east." He nodded and they separated.

* * *

><p>When Rangiku got there Renji was already there. He had his shikai released. He already looked a little tired, '<em>Idiot's probably been training too hard.'<em>

* * *

><p>Captain Hitsugaya, found a particularly ugly arrancar. It was wearing a crisp, white uniform with black trim, seeming to almost be the negative of his black and white clothes. The monstrous being grinned at him, "So they are sending children to fight us now."<p>

"I am Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of the 10th court guard squad," He said in a cold voice.

"This ain't play time kid," The thing mocked through its bony mask. It charged him, but Hitsugaya easily avoided. The young soul-reaper was actually glad to have a chance to fight something. It took his mind off things.

* * *

><p>The other arrancar was tangling with Ikkaku. Yumichika was watching with a bored expression on his face. Ikkaku was grinning. He hacked, and sliced into the arrancar. The arrancar returned blows of matching strength.<p>

"It's nice that you're having fun, but remember not to let yourself get to tired before you finish this one. I'm not helping you make it home again," Yumichika sounded a little irritated. He hadn't gotten to fight much lately. Ikkaku had taken on the last hollow too, "You know I'd like to get a chance to fight sometime."

"Alright, you can have the next hollow that shows up," Ikkaku responded without looking away from the fight.

* * *

><p>Renji was sweating, and breathing hard, "Maybe I shouldn't train so hard." He said to himself.<p>

"Looks like you haven't been training hard enough," A diminutive arrancar with purple hair and yellow eyes laughed. She was clothed in a smart little black trimmed white dress with ruffles and a cute quarter length sleeved jacket. There was a hole cut in the front of the dress to display her hollow hole. If not for the hole in her stomach she could have been mistaken for a very pretty little girl of about thirteen years old. She was very fast and kept coming at Renji making swipes at his tired body. She giggled crinkling her eyes maliciously. "You know I really like your hair," She taunted, "I think I'll scalp you and put it with my other trophies." She looked over at Rangiku, "Oooo, what pretty hair you have. When I'm done with this one, what say I give you a haircut?" She cocked her head and her lips parted into a smile of hatred.

Renji took advantage of her distraction and went in for a close attack. However she dodged and counter attacked. Her zanpaktou took the form of two sets of bladed claws that were fit to her hands like gloves. She thrust one of these into his shoulder.

* * *

><p>It had only been a minute since the battle started, Captain Hitsugaya shouted, "Reign over the frosted heavens," Releasing his ice dragon. It circled the large arrancar. Freezing him, however he began to crack only after a second.<p>

"Heh, not bad kid, but try this on for size," The arrancar up rooted a tree and lobbed it at the small Captain. It was easily dodged and he went after the arrancar's mask, thinking to break throught it and end the fight quickly. He was deflected by the stone covered arm of the arrancar.

"You have power over ice, but I have power over the earth. There is much more dirt than water around here," He seemed to be gathering mass by means of the rocky soil surrounding them.

He swung huge rock-like arms at the captain, "This ain't even half my true power, look at you, little brat, you can barely keep up."

He smashed Hitsugaya to the ground, but when he lifted his hand from the crater he had made there was no sign of the soul-reaper captain. A flash of white flew toward the arrancar. He sliced one of the thing's arms off.

It only laughed, "There's more where that came from." He began to form a new arm. Hitsugaya noticed he was recycling what had fallen to the ground. This was a worry; he'd needed to get to the mask underneath all that rock and dirt.

* * *

><p>Yumichika was seemingly lounging on his side, in midair, as if to imply he was ready for a nap. To prove his point Yumichika yawned. Ikkaku was dripping with sweat and blood. He was smiling as wide as ever. Then he got the notification that Gentei Kaijo was lifted.<p>

All the soul-reapers that were fighting released their full power. Yumichika and Rangiku didn't bother, knowing that they would not even get a chance to fight.

* * *

><p>The little arrancar was suddenly surprised when Renji surpassed her speed. Now it was her turn to dodge. "Hey! No fair! You can't do that!" She complained.<p>

"This is a battle with no rules. Live with it," Renji grunted and continued his attacks.

"Oh, ok," She sneered. She was behind him. She grabbed his hair and made as if to scalp him. He shook her off.

"So you were holding back some speed, were you?" he asked not expecting an answer. She did not surprise him by actually responding.

She came at him from behind. He turned and caught her in the middle with his sword. He cut her in half. She looked shocked as the two halves fell to earth.

"I really did like your hair," she actually started to tear up before her body denigrated.

"That was strange." Rangiku shrugged.

She left to check on her captain. Renji decided to watch Ikkaku finish his fight, so the two of them went in opposite directions.

* * *

><p>They were easy for the redhead to find. "So how goes the fight?" Renji asked Yumichika.<p>

"I find it rather boring; Ikkaku is having fun though. He is prolonging the fight."

Renji eyed the strange beast lunging at the bald soul-reaper. It was covered in hair except where the mask was and that seemed to be its weapon of choice. The stringy hide flowed and moved like an octopus' tentacles would move in the water. Striking, grabbing, and pulling in for close attacks. Both the fighters looked like they were getting tired, but only Ikkaku looked to be enjoying himself at this point.

"You know what I'm bored; this is taking too long. When he's finished you can carry him home. I had to do it last time...And he has really worked up a sweat," Indicating that Ikkaku really smelled bad. Yumichika took off.

Renji sighed. It did look like he'd have to be carried back if he kept up this pace instead of just finishing the thing off. He just kept hacking away. Renji picked a tree to rest against and dosed off.

* * *

><p>Hitsugaya wasn't having such an easy time of it when Rangiku showed up. She saw this unusually large arrancar covered in stone and dirt. Her captain kept slicing off pieces but they would quickly grow back. Her captain didn't seem to be wounded, but the thing was just wearing him down even with Gentei Kaijo lifted he couldn't keep this pace up forever. She knew he must have taken advantage of releasing his full power, yet here he was with only 6 petals left on his ice flower.<p>

What he realized, that she hadn't noticed was that the thing was getting tired too. Each time it regenerated it would take a little longer to do so. Hitsugaya was just biding his time until he could get to the middle and attack the thing's mask again.

Rangiku asked, "You ok, Captain?"

"Just fine," he panted. He knew he could hold out a little longer and he started to see the white of the mask exposed. The arrancar quickly sacrificed an arm to cover the mask over again. One of Hitsugaya's petals shattered. Now he had five left. Rangiku noted that the boy was smiling a halfcocked smile. She knew he was going to be finished with this fight soon, one way or the other. Renji suddenly appeared shouldering and exhausted, but happy, Ikkaku.

"So how's the Captain?" Renji looked at her.

"He's fine," she shot a worried look back at him that betrayed her doubt.

The captain again exposed the mask. The hollow took a little longer healing himself, but there was still not enough time to dodge swinging attacks from one arm while going toward the mask. He'd get close than have to back off to avoid being hit. Another petal broke, he went on hacking. He had four now, but this time he landed a blow on the mask. The arrancar covered the chipped mask with more dirt.

Just one more time, He thought to himself. He was aware that his blows were losing strength, but he kept going. Three petals left, than two, one single petal. A few more whacks at the thing's dirt covered form and the mask was his. He lunged avoiding blows, barely, and impaled the thing in the eye. It screamed and tried to shake the zanpaktou out.

Toshiro planted his feet on the things shoulders. Which was tricky since dirt was sliding off the thing as it had started to lose mass. He managed to slice through the top of the thing's head. It screamed, as it was disintegrating. His ice flower broke apart and the beautiful wings holding him up broke apart. He fell into the pile of dirt and rocks that was left behind. Rangiku went to him and helped him up. He looked at her sternly, but appreciated the help.

* * *

><p>They got back to the apartment. When they entered they were greeted with the sight of Rangiku's mod-soul was on Toshiro's. He had a bored look on his face which was being squished to the floor.<p>

"I'm sorry, she overpowered me," The thing that looked like Toshiro but wasn't said in a dull voice. Rangiku burst out with laughter. Captain Hitsugaya looked indignant. Until he peered around to see what the false Rangiku was doing leaning over the sleeping Karin. He choked.

"What's wrong? She isn't hurting the girl is she?" She asked in concern.

"His chest began to hitch," She swore he was about to cry. Tears came to his eyes.

She gasped, "Oh-no what's she done to the girl."

He started laughing. He doubled over. He was wiping tears from his face. He was actually very angry, but what he saw was beyond anything he'd ever seen.

Rangiku finally unfroze, "What she doin—THAT'S MY MAKE-UP!" She screamed, "Do you know how expensive that is? Stop it! Stop now I say! She removed the mod-soul and her gigai collapsed to the floor. Rangiku was crying.

"That make-up," She sniffed back a tear, "Was im-imported from France." She had no idea where France was, but it was exotic.

Karin was painted up in clownish make-up. The thing had used half a tube of lipstick and got most of it on Karin's teeth or cheeks rather than her lips. She had mascara oozing and threatening to run into her eyes. ...And bright pink blush (you are only supposed to use a little) on her cheeks in her hair and over her eyes as if it were eye shadow. She tied poor Karin's hair into 6 little pigtails with little white bows which on closer inspection were made of gauze from the first aid kit.

"She said she was bored. I tried to stop her," the other mod-soul explained in a droning fashion, "She went into your things Lieutenant and brought out that stuff. He pointed to the ground. There she saw a bottle of red nail polished spilled onto the futon. She lifted up the blanket sure enough there were ten bright red toe nails and nine sticky red fingernails.

"Oh," She sighed and teared up again.

"Calm down. Lieutenant I promise to buy you more," he was glaring, but he felt responsible because it was his fault that Karin was hurt and those two were not really capable of watching over anybody but themselves. Rangiku sniffed and wiped her eyes. She nodded.

"You are such a child," He said coldly, "Can you at least clean her face before she wakes up like this."

"Uh-huh, I've got some cold cream." She sighed and got up. He had no idea what 'cold cream' was but assumed it must be for cleaning off make-up.

He helped her by cleaning up the remains of the make-up.

"Just throw it away," She said starting to tear up, "It's ruined anyway."

He shot her a warning glance not to cry again, "Ok, you're sure?" She nodded.

He had returned to his gigai more than ten minutes before. The false Rangiku was still lying on the floor next to the sleeping girl; staring with a blank expression at the futon.

The woman was applying a sweet smelling substance to Karin's face, "Shall I remove the nail polish?"

He nodded, "She'd be very angry with us if she woke up with that get-up on." Thinking of the hard enamel that was now drying on her nails he wondered, _'How do they remove that stuff, with a tiny chisel?'_ He got his answer when Rangiku opened the bottle of polish remover, "Good God! What is that smell!" He looked at Rangiku.

"It's a potion that dissolves the nail polish, but doesn't hurt the skin." It smelled more like very strong alcohol to him. He held his nose and left the apartment by way of the kitchen window. He decided he'd let Rangiku finish in privacy.

"Well seeing as the captain has left I think I'll just give you a bath. That make-up in your hair isn't going to come out any other way," She looked at the shirt Karin was wearing, "Disgusting!" It was covered in make-up.

"We'll need to find a different shirt for you honey," She lifted her up out of the futon looking at the blood stained shorts she decided the girl needed some pants too. She gently undressed the girl and placed her in the tub of lukewarm water. She wondered if this was what it would be like to have a little girl. She didn't think she'd like chasing a toddler, but having a little girl Karin's age to dress up and go shopping with would be fun. Too bad she's not into make-up or dressing in pretty clothes. She cleaned up the girl. "She must be really out of it," Rangiku thought out loud. She slept through the bath.

The bleeding had started up a little when Karin entered the water. Rangiku changed her bandages; the cuts had all but stopped bleeding. Rangiku examined the cuts. They were deep, but nowhere near life threatening, now that the bleeding had slowed to almost nil. She wondered what would have happened if Hitsugaya had not found her. Between the loss of blood and that creep that must have inflicted the wounds, she'd be dead for sure.

The woman raided her captain's wardrobe. She picked a pale blue polo shirt that she liked and a pair of khaki trousers. She slipped the shirt on the girl. It looked very adorable to Rangiku. She pulled the pants on the girl. She had to cinch the belt tight. She noticed the pants were kind of baggy about the waist. Her legs were too long the pants stopped about an inch above Karin's ankles. The woman chuckled.

She changed the sheets on the futon and put the girl back under the covers. Karin involuntarily clutched at Rangiku's hand, she whispered, "Mother."

Rangiku sighed. She laid the girl's hand on her chest.

Toshiro was surprised to come back and find the place had been cleaned up and Karin was resting comfortably on her back.

"That girl is very sweet, when she doesn't know she's being sweet," Rangiku smiled into her tea cup, "Under that tough exterior is a caring little girl."

Toshiro settled down next to the girl and took her hand. She smiled softly. He kept a stony gaze, "What could you possibly get into next?"


	12. Is it a Date?

Notice: Friday, May 13, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 11 & 12. Yesterday I posted Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: Is it a Date?<strong>

* * *

><p>Karin woke up, in an unfamiliar apartment. Next to her Toshiro was sleeping in a kneeling position with her hand in his. They were alone. She sat up, and there was a jolt of pain in her shoulder. She cursed under her breath. She yawned, and looked down she was wearing boy's clothes.<p>

She assumed it must be Orihime's place. She had been there once before, but she'd mentally checked out that afternoon. She shook off the covers feeling like she was overheating. She looked down at her legs. She saw that the pants were too short for her. "So I am taller than you," She smirked, "These are yours." However when she got up she felt them slip down on her hips making them seem the right length. Her back hurt, but she was glad to be alive.

"I'm such an idiot. I'm sorry I have been nothing but trouble for you," She looked down at him.

"I know. I have the worst cramp in my legs thanks to you," He opened his eye and frowned. She shrieked.

"Sorry I did not intend to frighten you, but it was just so easy, and by the way I am not short," His frown remained but his eyes were smiling mischievously.

"Never said you were short. I distinctly remember saying _I _was taller," She gave him her hand and helped him up. A bolt of pain ran through her shoulder.

"Does it hurt? What did he do to you?" He was both concerned and angry at the same time.

"Well actually," She blushed, "The cuts were mostly my fault."

He nodded, "You aren't worried that I might over react, are you?" His forehead was throbbing.

"Well I got caught, my shirt got caught actually, in the chain-link fence and the more I struggled the worse it got. Just when he pried me from the fence I had wires digging into my back and one actually broke off in my shoulder. I pulled that out myself, I think that just made things worse though."

She was unconsciously rubbing her shoulder with her hand, "It wouldn't have been as bad if I didn't have to climb that fence to get away. If I had known they were playing on the field I would have never gone in. I'm so stupid."

"Stop saying that!" His face was red.

"I just-" She was clasping her hands and looking at her feet.

"No you aren't stupid! You just made a stupid decision!" He put his hands on her shoulders a little too hard. She winced. He took his hands off her, "I-I'm sorry."

"It's just that guy, could have done something really bad to me if you hadn't come and saved me. I can't, I mean I never was weak before I met you; I never cared about what boys thought. Except on the soccer field. Now things are changing. It is really weird."

"What would he have done?" His tone was flat and deadly. He sounded very dangerous right then. It scared her.

"Never mind." She was starting yo feeling sick.

"WHAT DID HE DO?" Hitsugaya screamed the question.

She backed away from him shaking her head. Her skin looked palid and she broke out in a sweat. Cupping a hand over her mouth, she ran to the kitchen sink and vomited. She collapsed to the floor.

He went to her and rubbed her back as she cahgued up more bile. Hi, "I'm sorry."

"He hadn't done anything to me, but he was going to, he tried to, I mean, I stopped him by hitting him, well you know where." She blushed and looked away in shame, she whispered, "He tried to make me kiss him. That's all." She felt his hand find hers.

He went ashy. His mouth thined in grim line and his eyes darkened. He was literally shaking with rage. His voice was calm but his grip on karin's hands tightened almost painfully, "It's not your fault. If I ever see that guy again...I _will_ to kill him."

"No!" She was shocked at herself for yelling likt that but she continued, "I don't know what it's like back in the soul-society but I can't imagine killing a living human would be good. I don't want to lose you, not that way." She broke his hold on her hands and hugged him tight.

"I-I guess you're right." He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, "I hate to admit it, but you mean a great deal to me. If anything happened to you I'd do something terrible. I love you."

"I think that was the sweetest and most disturbing thing I ever heard," She half smiled.

"Listen; please promise you won't go off on your own anymore. You know something bad is happening here in Karakura Town, and as winter draws closer it's going to get really dangerous."

"I'll promise if you make me a promise."

He nodded.

"Well actually two. Please don't get killed, and um, well there's this dance at our school and I'd like you to take me. If you don't those boys at school..." She didn't finish.

Toshiro looked nervous, "Well, it's just; I've never been to a dance. Exactly what it like?"

"Huh, well it's a party. A _social gathering_, where young people get together to be uncomfortable and awkward, because the adults think it will be fun for them." She smiled.

"Well since you put it that way how could I resist?"

"_Please,_ this is serious. If I don't go with a date those boys will never leave me alone again. I can't even miss the dance. They will figure that I couldn't get a date and that's just as bad."

"OK." He nodded. He certainly didn't need her being followed by boys, he knew she could handle those 'little' kids, but she needed him to go. So he would go.


	13. Let's Go Shopping!

Notice: Friday, May 13, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 11, 12 & 13. Yesterday I posted Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Let's Go Shopping!<strong>

* * *

><p>Toshiro took Karin home. Yuzu her was so glad that she hugged her too hard. Karin fought the urge to wince and smiled, "I'm so sorry Yuzu."<p>

Her father was giving her a stern look, "What's going on with you Karin?"

"I'm sorry, Dad," She said in an unusually humble voice. This surprised the old man, his face softened.

"Who's this?" Her father asked in a voice that betrayed some recognition. Karin and Toshiro took it to mean he understood they had been seeing each other. He smiled and invited the boy in, "Thank you for bringing her home. Come inside."

Toshiro appeared unemotional, and respectfully declined, explaining that he had to go straight home. The Kurosakis went inside leaving him at their door. He turned around and walked away. He was thinking hard about the last month. It had really been strange, not just between Karin and he, but all together. Almost no Hollow activity, than that tree thing, and those arrancar all appearing at once. He knew that times in Karakura Town were strange, so he shrugged it off and went home.

He couldn't believe he agreed to go to a dance. He frowned hard. He did not look forward going to a party of any kind, least of all one in which there would be so many boys who viewed him as a romantic rival.

'_Romance, I never thought about it before I met you, Karin,'_ He turned his thoughts to Momo suddenly, he felt terribly guilty. He hadn't even thought of her in weeks. She was suffering terribly and he could do nothing for her. What right did he have to have any kind of romance, when she was in such pain? He loved her too, he guessed. It was hard to feel so strongly about two different people.

Without realizing it he'd walked to 'the' spot. He looked at the sky. The sun was still high above the horizon. He stayed there for a while.

"What am I going to do?"

* * *

><p>When he got home, Rangiku was still gone so he slunk down in front of the kitchen table and absentmindedly picked up an apple that had been laying there. He bit into it and sat there in contemplation. When Rangiku got home he was still sitting there staring off into space holding an apple with a single bite in it. The white flesh of the apple had browned. She tapped his shoulder, he woke up.<p>

"What's the matter Captain? You look depressed."

He sighed, and mumbled, "She wants me to take her to a dance, at her school." He shot an icy look toward her warning her not to laugh or say anything that he'd have to make her regret.

"Well you know what this calls for," She looked at him seriously. He actually thought she was going to say something helpful, "Shopping trip!" She squealed with delight.

He fell on his back in revolt; the apple was dropped and rolled under the table. She grabbed his arm, and forcefully dragged him out of the apartment. He actually left tiny scratch marks in the linoleum floor.

"Why _are_ we shopping?" He wondered because they had only been to two shops and both sold exclusively women's clothes. He was miserable. He felt like everybody was staring at him.

"Well I thought I'd get some shopping done too," She smiled, "Now Captain, did Karin tell you if this was a formal occasion?" He shook his head. She piled several bags of clothing onto the boy. She took out her phone and made a call. She was exchanging words with someone on the other end of the line. She nodded, "Uh-huh, OK," She hung up the phone.

She dialed again, "Are you very busy right now? I could use your help," She looked at the captain and turned her back on him and continued talking to the person on the other end. She loved doing this to her captain. He sighed and braced himself for whatever torment she had in store for him.

"Great! This is going to be really fun!" She sighed and looked very pleased with herself. They walked for a couple of blocks. The small white haired boy following a tall busty blond, loaded with several shopping bags. Suddenly she stopped and yelled, "Hey! Yumichika! Over here," She waved. Toshiro looked there was Yumichika leaning against a store front window across the street.

The boy grimaced, _'This-is-going-to-be-hell.'_

"Thanks for coming!" She smiled brightly.

"Any excuse to go shopping," He flashed his most charming smile, allowing everybody the chance to enjoy his beauty.

They dragged the unwilling victim into the nearest store which sold men's and boy's apparel. The clerks were eying the Trio suspiciously. Rangiku would choose something off the rack. Yumichika would give his approval or disapproval. She'd thrust the ones that met the narcissistic man's approval onto the little boy. They sent him into the dressing room. Out he'd come.

"No those are too long," Rangiku muttered.

"That shirt looks good if I do say so myself," Yumichika said, pleased with his choice, "Keep that one." One of the Shop girls nodded.

Captain Hitsugaya went into the dressing room and took it off obediently handing it out through the red velvety curtains.

He came out with a glum look on his face in a pair of dark blue slacks, and a white long sleeved dress shirt.

"No, that doesn't suit you at all." Yumichika stated holding his hand to his chin in contemplation.

This kept up for way longer than Hitsugaya was comfortable with. Finally the two were done torturing him. They had settled on Tan slacks that were just the right length, _'and just like every other pair I've got,'_ Hitsugaya thought, annoyed. They chose a blue green polo shirt that matched his eyes. They both agreed it was adorable, of course not where the captain could hear.

Hitsugaya drew quite a lot of attention when he pulled out his own wallet and produced the money for the purchase. The three of them left. Hitsugaya carrying a sack with the store logo on it and decided he'd had enough of this, so he sneaked off while the two soul-reapers were walking into another store. He was walking along when something shiny caught his attention. In a jewelry store window of all places. There on a display bust was a gold necklace with a delicate chain. On it was a soccer ball pendant.

He didn't even think about it but went into the store. He left with a small bag that contained a little white box. He spotted Rangiku and Yumichika looking for him. He slipped the smaller bag into one of the larger ones then made some distance from the jewelry store before he allowed them to spot him.

As promised Toshiro replaced Rangiku's ruined make-up. Yumichika left them at this point. All the fun was over for him. When he got home he hid the little box among his things and laid on the futon. He was more exhausted than when he had fought that arrancar the earlier that day. Rangiku did not return with him, but sent her own purchases with him, "Thank you captain, you're so sweet."

When he awoke it was dusk. He decided to go to 'the' spot, _'Maybe she's there now.'_

She wasn't there. He had decided he was glad, because he'd be unhappy to know she had gone anywhere alone. He sat and looked at the sky. His thoughts picked up where they had left off—with Momo. He sighed and decided he didn't feel like looking at the sky after all.


	14. The Last Dance

Notice: Friday, May 13, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 11, 12, 13 & 14. Yesterday I posted Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: The Last Dance<strong>

* * *

><p>Toshiro Hitsugaya did not dig the tiny box out of his things. He just could not bring himself to give it to her. As he approached the Kurosaki home that evening his hand felt empty, I should have brought the damn thing! Jinta was ahead of him there was still a sore spot between the two of them. He did not care. Jinta had already made it to the stoop and rang the bell.<p>

Mr. Kurosaki opened the door and invited the two boys in. He looked at the boys with no emotion save the hint of suspicion. The old man was uncharacteristically silent. Karin had made him promise to behave. He was having a hard time. He was pulled in separate directions, one of fatherly duty and the over whelming urge to poke fun at the miserable souls sitting in his living room. They sat in stony silence for about ten minutes, before footsteps were heard descending the stairs.

Yuzu was actually physically pushing her sister down the stairs and to the living room. Yuzu was wearing a pink sundress. Karin was wearing a white dress with a blue sash. She had dragon fly clips in her hair, which were a certain color of blue green that matched her date's eyes. Toshiro's heart sped up a little. The girl saw him admiring her and blushed.

Their father looked them over proudly, "Your mother would be pleased with such pretty daughters."

That's all he said. Karin warned him with a look not to say anymore.

The old man protested when Karin asked him not to follow. She was surprised that he agreed to leave them alone. She figured he would sneak behind them anyway. She slipped her hand into the boy's; it was as cool as ever.

The dance was not so bad. The other boys didn't bother Karin seeing as she was obviously dating this 'Toshiro Hitsugaya.' Karin really did hate having to wear a dress, but her date appreciated it. At least she knew that she was not the only uncomfortable person here. Toshiro looked miserable. She was sorry she had dragged him to this thing. She didn't want to stay anymore, "Let's just go, this was a mistake. I am sorry I asked you to come."

"So, you don't like me anymore," He said in a half-serious, half-mocking tone. There was more seriousness in it than he liked.

"No! I like you a lot. I just hate wearing this dress," she tugged at the hem. He really liked the dress, but didn't say anything.

"Let's get something to drink." He led her to a refreshment table. An old woman with a hair net and a peach colored apron served them punch. They found a patch of wall and claimed it. They didn't talk. A slow song was playing the boy observed the other children, the ones with dates at least, dancing. He looked at her and cocked his head toward the dance floor. He grabbed her hand and barely gave her time to set her drink down.

He followed the lead of the other dancers. He put his hands on her waist, but kept a respectable distance between them she put her arms on his shoulders. There was a twinge of pain from her injuries, she ignored it. They swayed with the music. She grew more, and more nervous. She wanted to get out of there. The music changed to something fast paced. She took the opportunity and ducked into the hallway. He was behind her, "You alright Karin?"

She was flushed, "I think that's enough torture for one night. Let's leave."

He approved with a sharp nod. He wasn't as self-conscious as she was, but it was too noisy in there. The air was cool outside the school Gymnasium. They could hear 80's soft rock (who chooses the music for school dances anyway) coming through the windows. As they walked along in the twilight the street lamps began to shine. He slipped his hand around her waist.

The dress was soft and thin. His hand tingled; he could feel her warmth radiating through the thin barrier of cotton. She blushed and tried to hide her face from him. He put his hand under her chin and turned her face to his. He kissed her on the lips. She felt happy and sad at the same time. She sensed sadness in the kiss, like it was a goodbye kiss.

He held her waist as they walked. He didn't take her to 'the' spot like she expected. He took her to the park instead. They sat at a park bench, neither said anything. She looked up at the stars. The music of nature soothed them as they were saranaded by a chorus of crickets. He looked at her forlornly. He was going to break her heart and he cursed himself for it. His heart was broken already. He wondered, _'How many times can you break your heart before there is nothing left of it?'_

He couldn't wish he'd never met her; had that been the case she would have been killed that day on the soccer field.

"Toshiro?" Karin broke the silence, "What's it like in the soul-society."

He thought on it, "Well it's not much different than the living world...But it's less noisy the sky is much bigger..." he trailed off.

"When I die, can I go there?" She said in a small voice. His eyes widened in shock. He was speechless. She continued, "When I die, would you come get me?" He did not like where this was going.

"I know you can't stay here forever, Toshiro. I'd like to come with you. The world is too painful. Maybe I could find my mother when I go." She said in a hopeful voice, "Sometimes I feel like I am ready to go-to die."

He grabbed her, and turned to look at her sternly, "Never say that again!" He crushed her warm body to his cool form. She struggled with him, but then gave up. He heard a sob coming from her. He let her cry into his chest. She let out years of pent-up sadness on his new shirt.

She finally stopped, "I'm never going to see you again, am I?" Her red eyes pleaded for an answer.

"I-I don't know?" He wished he could give her a better answer. She pushed him away and took off. He went after her intending to not let anything happen to her again, but he knew it was best to not see her anymore. Later that night he showed up at Urahara's shop. It was late but there was the man himself, standing in the door way. He looked down at the young boy.

"Something on your mind, Captain." He said slowly. The boy handed him a tiny box.

"What's this he said curiously," he was almost smiling.

"Please if something happens, give that to her." He was gone before Urahara could say anything, but they understood each other.


	15. Down in the Dumps

Notice: Friday, May 13, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15. Yesterday I posted Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

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><p><strong>Chapter 15: Down in the Dumps <strong>

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><p>The next day Rangiku found her that her captain had not come home. She thought something to herself. She was worried,<em> 'No way they wouldn't have, he's not that reckless…I hope.'<em>

She decided to get dressed and go find her superior. She found him easily, he was watching the sun come up over the horizon. He looked bored, but his eyes had a distinct quality she could not grasp.

"Did you have fun?" She asked.

"It was interesting, I guess." His voice had regained the iciness it had been lacking over the last few weeks. She studied his face. The eyes were wrong. His eyes were cold as ever, but there was a sadness mixed with hatred swimming in the very back. He was cordial to his Lieutenant. Nothing more was said. They got back to work as usual. Nobody dared mention Karin Kurosaki least that person be glared into a bottomless pit of hate and anger.

Everybody assumed the two had a bad fight and things would soon return to what passed for normal these days.

They didn't.

Karin went back to school on Monday. She had cut her hair and her ball cap had resumed its rightful place on her head. She did not talk to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary. She became a terror to be reckoned with on the soccer field. She was very angry and the boys sensed that she had broken up with the spiky haired 'Toshiro Hitsugaya.' Still the boys kept their distance since she gave an aura of hate off her very soul.

Yuzu tried to comfort her sister, but Karin was cold to even her. She wasn't eating enough and she kept a pace that would probably end up killing her eventually. She was true to her promise to Toshiro she went nowhere alone, not really anyway. She never went anywhere more private than the park and she was always home before dark now. A few times she swore she's seen a flash of white out of the corner of her eyes, she ignored it.

Every night she'd go straight to her room after finishing maybe two bites of food she'd lay on bed and close her eyes.

She hated him, and yet she still loved him fiercely.


	16. No Time for Goodbyes

Notice: Friday, May 13, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16. Yesterday I posted Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Ok, I will admit I am veering off the original plot and time line of Bleach but I like my version a lot. :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: No Time for Good-byes <strong>

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><p>Toshiro resumed his life as if there were no such person as Karin Kurosaki. He went back to training with a zest. He was so icy that he literally sucked all the warmth out of a room. Rangiku threatened to make him sleep outside for fear that she would wake up frozen to her blanket.<p>

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><p>One afternoon Karin was sitting in her class room when she sensed a power so great that she felt heavy. There was more than one there were five. She wasn't the only person who noticed. She looked about the room some of her classmates, including her sister, and the teacher looked out the window. They had disturbed looks on their faces. It soon passed and those who had looked seemed to wake up. She feared for his life. She couldn't bring herself to think his name, but the fear could say it for her.<p>

_'Toshiro Hitsugaya is going to die!'_ It hissed in her head.

She was horrified. She stared out the window slack jawed. The fight wasn't long she felt that it ended abruptly. She felt that no one was killed. She distractedly made it through the rest of the school day. She ran the whole way home. She felt a presence in her house suddenly, "Ichigo!" She ran up the stairs and went to his room. There he was lying on his back all bandaged up. He was safe and she forgot about _everybody_ else.

She cheered up and was so apologetic to Yuzu. She got her appetite back. She even smiled most of the time. She didn't think about a certain white haired soul-reaper or her broken heart. It felt like it at least had a bandage on it now. The next day, Ichigo was well.

He had healed very quickly, but he was depressed about something. She wished she knew, but she didn't want to bother him so she let it go. She kept her smile for him now rather than for herself. Rukia was back too. Karin hated to admit it but she really liked Rukia, and she was glad the girl was back.

Unfortunately this happiness, real or forced, did not last long. Karin new the day they, the soul-reapers, all left. They left her brother behind. She was glad he stayed, but she wished she could have said good-bye to... She turned away from that thought. She still had some venom in that memory, but she was wise enough not to nurse it. The pain hadn't dwindled but the anger and hatred were diminished by now. She knew she couldn't hold onto him forever. Hoping for death was not good.

She wished they had parted on better terms.

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><p>He felt the sting of regret, he wondered if perhaps guilt lead him down the wrong path, or duty. He stopped by to visit Momo who was still being kept unconscious. There was little time for such things however, there were preparations to make.<p>

Hitsugaya hoped _she_ was safe back in the world of the living.


	17. Normality? What's That?

Notice: Friday, May 13, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17. Yesterday I posted Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Ok, I will admit I am veering off the original plot and time line of Bleach but I like my version a lot. :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: Normality? What's That?<strong>

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><p>Karin was fine when her brother took off again, without so much as a good-bye; she had gotten used to that. Yuzu was worried, but Karin did her best to cheer her sister up.<p>

Yuzu kept seeing Jinta. Karin felt a pang when she saw them holding hands. It made her think of the comfortably cold hand that belonged to a certain someone. She missed him. She missed him more than she missed her brother. She felt guilty about this, but she couldn't help it.

Outside of school the only other place she went was to soccer practice, or games. She spent most of her time in her room alone. She had stopped eating again, but it was more out of distraction than depression. She started losing weight, she was already very thin. Somehow she seemed to get stronger despite this. She was unconsciously tapping into her spiritual powers to keep going every day.

Yuzu badgered her about it. Her father also nagged her. She needed to eat, she just couldn't! She fought with her father. She ignored Yuzu on the subject of food or eating. She ran to school every day. She ran home. She barely slept. She was going crazy; she needed to get out of the house. She hated to break her promise, but she was at her breaking point. She climbed out her window. Hanging there two stories from her back yard. She let go and landed on her backside. She got up feeling little pain. She ran.

She didn't know where she was going, but she was attracting unwanted attention. Her spirit was leaking out. She felt a hollow approaching. It was not very powerful; she took care of it with a direct kick to its mask. Then there was another. She easily finished it. But then there were two more where the one had been. They had been waiting for her to come to them. She dodged and kicked. She felt alive. She was almost happy. She was getting worn down however her body couldn't hold up and she felt she was about to lose control. She was surprised to see Jinta and Ururu suddenly appear.

"What are you doing you idiot!" Jinta shouted at her as he began fighting a hollow that had been right behind her. Ururu fought silently. They didn't know how many more there were, but Karin continued to fight as well. She was killing herself. Jinta and Ururu realized this.

"Jinta, please take her away from here." Ururu continuing to fight unemotionally. Jinta nodded. He grabbed Karin. She tried to resist. She was just too weak, but her spirit was almost overwhelming to him. Jinta barely managed to get the screaming girl over his shoulder. Physically she was very light, but spiritually she felt like a ton of bricks. He took off as quickly as he could. Ururu held off the hollows until she was sure they were far enough away. She finished off twenty weak hollows. They weren't interested in her. It was a feeding frenzy so the rest followed the food, A.K.A. Karin Kurosaki.

Jinta made it back to Urahara's Shop Tessai and Urahara were waiting. Jinta leaped over them and took the screaming girl inside. The hollows were not far behind. Ururu was not far behind them.

Jinta dropped the girl and ran out to help, but he found he was too late. Urahara finished the hordes off by himself. He turned and walked past the boy. He went to the girl. Karin was clutching at her chest. The room had a strange glow, or was it just her eyes. She closed them, she could still see everything. "Uhhh," she grunted and doubled over in pain.

"Does it hurt?" She heard someone ask in an echoing tone, "Feels like you're going to explode, doesn't it?" She saw Mr. Urahara standing over her. She nodded. "It doesn't do to neglect your body. One such as yourself can only live off spiritual energy so long before you lose control. Had you not left your house tonight I fear your family may have been in grave danger."

Her eyes grew with fear, _'He means I could have killed them?'_

"You need food and rest. You'll have to stay here so we can get your spirit back under control." Urahara touched her arm he drew back as if he'd been burnt. "Tessai we don't have much time," Urahara scooped her into his arms and took her to the training ground underneath the shop. Tessai followed. Ururu and Jinta were not allowed to go with them.

At this point being near her could kill a normal human, or even a lower level soul-reaper. Tessai was faring poorly, but refused to leave Urahara to do this alone. Urahara was prepared as soon as he felt her near the break. He sent the children to fetch her while he and Tessai prepared for the treatment.

Jinta and Ururu kept exchanging worried looks. They didn't know if they were being kept away for her safety or theirs. Were Tessai and Urahara were putting themselves in danger to save the girl?

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><p>Urahara noted that Karin's spirit was a reflection of her brother's. Ichigo has the strength of a captain. I never felt that boys spirit so strongly as this. At the peak of her struggle Urahara observed a shaft of light coming from within her chest. It was so bright it hurt his eyes, but he swore he saw the manifestation of a zanpaktou at the center of the light. When light vanished the sword was gone.<p>

Karin was regaining control. Both Urahara and Tessai felt a crushing pressure being lifted. "So Isshan you are going to have another soul-reaper in the family," Urahara chuckled to himself. He picked her up. Tessai could just barely manage the climb on his own.

"You and your brother are two sides of the same coin. Shadow and light," He grinned at the now sleeping girl.

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><p>Karin woke-up in a familiar room. She looked over expecting to see Toshiro. She was disappointed. Kurodo, Noba, and Lirin were sitting next to her however. She smiled weakly at the three mod-souls in their little stuffed animal bodies. She opened her mouth to say good morning, but found she couldn't talk. Her stomach could talk, however, and growled to prove it.<p>

As if on cue in came Ururu with a tray of food. Karin tried to sit up but was having trouble. Ururu helped her into sitting position, but then she slumped forward. She could not move. It was like she was numb, only she could feel things. The mod-souls got up to help. Karin felt like jelly. Somehow she managed to get her hand to the tray, she tried to pick up the chop sticks, but her fingers wouldn't work. _'What's wrong with me?'_ She made an angry face. Ururu helped her eat. She than cleaned up the mess.

"I hope you feel better soon," Ururu said shyly. Karin smiled at her, _'At least I can control my face.'_ Karin tried her best to grab the little girl's hand, with her rubbery hand. She gently squeezed Ururu's hand to say thanks. Ururu smiled and said, "You're welcome."

There was nothing else for her to do so she went to sleep.


	18. Dreaming

Notice: Friday, May 13, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18. Yesterday I posted Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Ok, I will admit I am veering off the original plot and time line of Bleach but I like my version a lot. :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 18: Dreaming<strong>

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><p>Karin found herself lying in the middle of a soccer field. The sky was gold, as if it were the brightest sunrise ever. She heard a voice calling her. "Karin," a musical voice called her, "Wake up." She looked up from her spot. There perched on the Goal post, was a lovely woman. She had long flowing blond hair, and a beautiful white dress. She seemed to be emitting a soft glow.<p>

"Mo-mother?" Karin asked in a painful voice.

"I'm sorry, I'm not your mother," She smiled sadly, "My name is..."

Karin couldn't hear the lady's name; it was like her head had gone under water. Karin felt like she was being pulled back by something. She opened her eyes and saw Jinta. He was sitting next to her. He and she never got along very well so she was surprised to see him sitting next to her with an expression of guilt on his face. He said, "I'm sorry." It looked really painful for him to say those words. She was glad she couldn't laugh, because his face was kind of funny.

"I'm sorry about the time you ran away...because it was my fault. The I heard some big kid hurt you." She smiled to let him know she wasn't mad at him, "Um- I'm going to go meet Yuzu at her school, do you want me to bring her by to see you." Karin frowned. "Oh-ok," He left. Karin smiled sadly. Karin knew she'd never see him so humble ever again.

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><p>Karin was on the soccer field once. She and the 'Golden Lady' were talking. Karin called her the 'Golden Lady,' because she could never hear the woman's name when the she said it. It was annoying to Karin, but she was so beautiful that Karin found herself not caring what her name was. The lady didn't say much. Mostly she only spoke if Karin asked her a question. She did not always give an answer either. Karin asked, "Where are we?"<p>

"This is the place in which your spirit resides."

Karin was surprised that the place was so peaceful.

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><p>Toshiro was looking up at a grey sky. Snow was falling. He looked around he seemed to be in a pit of some kind. He climbed out and found himself on snowy field. There was construction equipment peeking out of deep snow drifts, and a make shift chainlink fence. Looking at the end of the field he saw a goal post outlined in snow.<p>

"What am I doing back in the living world?" He wondered out loud. He looked around in astonishment. At the other end of the field he saw a small dark haired figure in a short white dress. He knew who it was, "Karin, you idiot! You are going to freeze to death!" He screamed at her.

He crossed the field. Never before had he felt such anger toward the girl, but he'd had enough of her foolish, reckless behavior. She was standing rigid with her arms at her side. He grabbed her arm, it was stiff. Her skin was an unattractive color of blue-gray. She had a glazed look in her eyes. Her mouth was moving, but nothing was coming out. "Karin! Wake up you are freezing!" He was shouting at her, but she didn't react. He tried to make her move; she was very heavy. He wrapped his arms around her and tried to warm her up. He heard her breath, "Golden Lady." She had a peaceful look about her right than that frightened Toshiro. It made him think of the kind of peace that death brought with it.

He woke up in his room. It was still very early, but he had no desire to return to that dream. He got up and went to his office to catch-up on the piles of paper work stacked on his desk.

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><p>Karin was talking to the golden lady again. She felt someone touch her arm. She looked there was no one else there. She brushed the feeling off. Then she felt a familiar energy enveloping her, "Toshiro?" She opened her eyes. The room was still dark so she went back to sleep. She didn't dream the rest of the night.<p>

When she opened her eyes again she found the room was bright. Without thinking about it she sat up. She looked down at herself. She was so skinny, _'How did I let this happen?_' She pulled the blanket off her legs and tried to get up. Her first try resulted in a face plant. "Ouch!" She surprised herself, she could talk again. She was still very wobbly. Her muscles were all very stiff. She felt like she had been asleep for a year. She decided she wanted to go home. She managed to make it to her feet. The store seemed quiet. So she ventured out of the little room at the back of the store.

She went as quietly as she could, but it was very slow going with her jelly legs under her. She made it to the door at the entrance of the shop. It slid open. There was Mr. Tessai looking sternly down at her, "Where are you going, Miss Kurosaki. Your body isn't healed yet." She'd rather not be carried back to her room so she obediently about faced (well if you could picture a piece of gelatin, shaped like a little girl, suddenly switching directions. It was more like that). She wobbled back to her room and sat on the floor. It was just too hot to lay on the futon.

_'I really need a bath. How long have I been here anyway? She really wasn't sure.'_

She had slept a lot. Mr. Tessai was saying something to her she looked at him silently. "Mr. Urahara said you might try to run off. Please don't do that again. It really isn't safe for you right now. You need to get your strength back." She nodded. She supposed these people were not going to be as easy to slip past as her idiot father.

Her stomach growled again, and again as if Ururu was waiting to hear Karin's 'tummy alarm.' She came in carrying a platter of food. When she saw Karin was up her smile brightened up.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," She put the food down in front of Karin, "Please eat."

Karin did not have to be asked twice. She'd never felt so hungry. She was still having trouble with her dexterity. She could not hold the chopsticks, but there was a spoon on the tray as well. She grabbed it. And began to shovel hot rice into her mouth. There was a perfect omlette too. It reminded her of Yuzu's cooking she felt very badly, I have been such a Jerk to you, Yuzu. I'll make it up to you.

When karin finished she thanked Ururu, "That was very good, thank you." Ururu was very pleased. She asked if Karin needed anything else.

"Well," Karin blushed, "I could use a bath. I probably smell awful." She laughed at herself. Ururu nodded. She took the older looking girl by the hand and took her to the bath room. She got a hot bath going for Karin. The bath felt very good on her sore body. She only wished she were not so skinny. She examined her chest. Her ribs were very prominent. Ururu came in and brought her some towels. Karin felt really uncomfortable, but she smiled and thanked the girl. Ururu brought Karin some clothes, as the girl was drying off.

"These may not fit, but your clothes are dirty. I'll wash them for you, "For now you can borrow some of my clothes." The shirt was short and made her feel self conscious. The little pants actually fit her waist. But the legs stopped about halfway up her calves.

"At least I won't have to go around naked." The said to herself.

She felt better and asked, Ururu if it was OK that she go outside. Ururu smiled and nodded. She took Karin to the back of the shop. They sat on the porch. Karin was enjoying the fresh air.

She dosed off on the porch. She was talking in her sleep, "Shina Mitsu."

"What was that Karin," She was startled awake. Mr. Urahara. Was standing behind the two girls, "You were saying something." He grinned in a knowing way.

"I-I don't remember." Karin looked at him suspiciously.

"That's OK. I was just curious." He flashed a smile at her. She felt like he was looking through her. He left the two girls on the porch and went inside.

"Mr. Urahara sure is strange," Karin looked at Ururu. The little girl seemed at a loss for words. So Karin dropped the subject.


	19. The Golden Lady

Notice: Saturday, May 14, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 19. Yesterday I posted Chapters 11 through 18 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Toshiro is a bit of a pervert this chapter.

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><p><strong>Chapter 19: The Golden Lady<strong>

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><p>The 'Golden lady' was calling Karin again. Karin ran to her happily. She sat crossed legged with her arms behind her, smiling up at the woman.<p>

"Lady? Why are you here with me?" Karin kind of tilted her head toward the woman.

"I am here because you are here." Her face was soft and kind.

"Will you stay by my side forever?" Karin continued.

"That depends on you." The lady answered back.

"I think you are the most beautiful woman, no, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," The girl admired the seemingly floating woman.

Karin got that feeling again like Toshiro was holding her. She felt his pressure on her back. It was cold. She shivered.

"Are you OK, Karin?" The lady rarely spoke unless spoken to, but she had a concerned look on her face.

"I'm fine." She said distractedly. She woke up, "Damn." She hated leaving the woman. It was more than just that she was worried about Toshiro. She felt that his embraces were not happy ones.

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><p>Toshiro had been having disturbing dreams. It did not help that everybody in the soul society was on edge. Karin was caught in a dangerous place. He felt certain that she was not safe. Last night He saw her in that field again. She was sitting in the snow. She was frozen; by the time he had found her he was too late. He decided that she was not really dead. He thought he would feel her presence on this side if she were. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that she was doing something very dangerous.<p>

He was terribly grouchy and his subordinates, with the exception of Rangiku, avoided him if at all possible.

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><p>Karin was with the 'Golden Lady' the next night. She wanted to ask a serious question. "Lady?" She looked up at the Golden figure.<p>

"Yes Karin?"

"If I feel someone here, besides us I mean. Could I pull them into my dream? I am dreaming aren't I?"

"That could be dangerous to you at the very least; if not this 'other' you speak of." The lady seemed to know more than she let on.

Karin had never sensed deceit in the woman's words, but she sensed that the woman was not telling her everything. "Lady are you keeping things from me?"

"There are things I am not permitted to tell you. This is your world however. You can do what you wish."

She didn't feel Toshiro so she let the subject drop, "So, if this is my world can I play soccer?"

The woman grinned. She gestured for Karin to turn around. Behind the girl was a soccer ball. She picked it up, "Cool!" Karin dropped the ball, kicked it and chased after. She forgot about Toshiro for a while anyway.

* * *

><p>She awoke with a smile on her face. She felt stronger. She was up and ready to do some exercising. Ururu came in with her breakfast and saw that the other girl was standing.<p>

"Good morning," the smaller girl smiled.

"Good morning," Karin smiled. Karin sat down to eat, "Ururu, have you ever played soccer?" Ururu shook her head.

"I could teach you; do you have a ball around here?" She smiled; she knew the girl would probably come up with something. Karin and Ururu went to the alley behind the shop. Jinta was lounging on the roof of the shop when he heard the girls laughing. Karin was teaching Ururu how to run with the ball. She was actually really good. He rolled over onto his stomach and watched with a blasé look. Karin was running with the ball; Ururu was behind her. Karin kicked the ball to the other girl. She said, "Kick the ball." Ururu kicked it a little too strongly and it shot over the building. Karin thought it must have gone to china.

"I'm sorry." Ururu sounded very remorseful.

"Are you kidding? That was amazing!" She laughed, "You have to join my team!"

They were going to go back in when Jinta appeared with their ball, "You two dopes lose something." Karin was so happy to have the ball back that she just smiled and asked if he wanted to play too. The girls against the boy. They ran him ragged. The three of them did not notice Tessai and Urahara take a seat on the porch. The men were really enjoying the show, but it was growing late and they could not let Karin stay outside in her weakened condition. He regretted breaking the game up but he said it was time for dinner and, "seeing as young Miss Kurosaki is feeling better she should join us at the table."

She was very self-conscious, but glad to be eating with other people. She was very hungry too. After dinner she decided the least she could do was wash the dishes. Nobody argued with her. She felt she owed these people a great deal. She helped clear the table. She had decided that she might as well be doing chores since she was feeling well. She wasn't the best at it, but she worked hard. She didn't break any dishes and everybody said that she had done a good job. Tessai showed her where everything went.

After the dishes were put away, Urahara asked if he could talk to her alone. She agreed. She wanted to keep away from him, he gave her the creeps, but she realized she owed him a great deal. She followed him to back to the table. He asked her to sit down smiling kindly on her. She sensed it was as close to a genuine, by genuine she meant not mocking, smile as she would ever see from him. She sat across from him. He was studying her; her face looked just like Ichigo's. It actually disturbing a little, but he never let that show. He studied her and decided she was probably not ready for this talk. He went on anyway, "Miss Kurosaki-"

"Karin." She cut him off, "Don't call me Miss it makes me uncomfortable."

"You are just as straight forward as Ichigo. While we're on the subject, drop the Mr., It makes me uncomfortable," He smiled the, mocking wasn't there, but there was a teasing note in his voice, "Besides it makes me seem like an old man."

Karin snorted then asked, "What did you want from me, Urahara?"

"I need to know if you have been dreaming."

"Of course, everybody dreams," She was tempted to roll her eyes, but did not.

"I'm talking about a special dream. Where you are talking to someone. This someone has tried to tell you their name." He saw the recognition in her eyes, "Have you learned its name?"

"Her." Karin corrected.

"What?"

"It's not an it, it's a her," Irritation was very present in her voice and face.

"Have you learned her name?"

"No every time she tries to tell me something happens. I call her the 'Golden Lady'." Karin couldn't believe she was telling this guy her personal, private dreams.

"She, the 'Golden Lady' is your zanpaktou."

Karin's eyes bulged, "What?"

"You must learn her true name to gain use of her. She will not be able to manifest until you call her name," Urahara looked into her eyes, "I'm surprised this is happening to you without having trained for it. You like your brother are full of surprises."

"I'm a soul-reaper?" She looked astonished.

"Not yet, the training can take six years, but without training you are going to get yourself or someone else killed." He was not smiling as he said this.

She wasn't smiling either, "How do I train to become a soul reaper?"

"In the soul-society there is an academy, but since you are still alive...I suppose I'll have to train youm," Urahara was acting as if it would be a great burden, but he was actually looking forward to the work, "Of course I expect payment. You will have to complete chores here at the shop to pay for your training." He was smiling at his genius. He'd get an apprentice and a an extra set of hands in one package.

"Well I don't know," She could see through him like he was looking through her, "My brother didn't train for six years, did he?" She wasn't smiling, but her eyes were.

"Well, well, well, you are very observant. Ichigo had very little time to complete his training. He had his reasons, but I'm not going to let you complete your training in that manner." He was enjoying the challenge this girl presented. _'She's sharp_', he smiled to himself.

"You can complete your training more quickly than normal. However, you may find the pace grueling." He looked into her defiant eyes, "Well?"

She sensed that this was a now or never opportunity, She nodded her approval.

"You realize that you must do everything I say."

She nodded.

"Don't look so serious. We won't start tonight." He smiled reassuringly, "Go get some rest."

The phone rang. Urahara left her and picked up the phone, "Hey, How are you? Oh no, she's just fine. She's smart and tough. Can I ask you something?" He was saying to the person on the other end. She decided she had better go get some rest.

* * *

><p>She was with the 'Golden lady' again that night. "What are you?"<p>

"You already know the answer to that." The lady smiled.

"Why me?" Karin asked in an angry tone. She had never spoken to the lady like that. It did not feel right. The lady just continued to smile softly.

"You know the reason," The lady answered back in a placid tone.

"You are not answering my questions!" She yelled at the woman.

Then she felt him. The lady looked worried. Karin defiant as ever willed him to come in. She felt him. He was cold. They were in the ruined soccer field. She was in that little dress she had been wearing the night of the dance. Toshiro was screaming at her to get up. She was covered in snow she was laying on her face. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, "To-Toshiro?"

He lifted her into his arms, "Karin! You idiot! What are you doing out here in that dress! You are so foolish!" There was relief in his voice. He wrapped her in his haori. She shivered. She was really feeling the cold.

"Why are you out here again? What is it that draws you to this place?" He was holding her in his arms her feet were red and blistered from the snow.

"I-I don't know. You're here." She said through the fabric of his uniform.

"You are so thin. Have you been eating?" He said in a horse tone.

"I'd been eating less and less. Then I kind of went crazy and I didn't eat anything for a week. Then I stopped sleeping. I didn't get tired or feel weak at all. Urahara said I almost killed my family. He has decided to train me as a soul reaper. If for no other reason than his personal entertainment, I guess. I see through him, just like he sees through me and everybody else. I think he thinks of me as a challenge," She said this all in one breath.

Toshiro had to laugh, "I see you have been busy. I have been so worried, but Urahara won't let you come to harm. That is if he values his own existence." That last part he said very seriously.

Karin shivered. He closed the gap between their bodies. He was actually almost warm. He kissed her. She kissed back. The kiss was not sad. They both felt the snow around them melting a little. He sat on a snow bank with her in his lap. He cradled her body. It felt good to touch her again. She felt his hands exploring her legs. He rubbed them to warm them up, but it gave her chills down her spine. She turned and rested her head on his chest and felt like she was dosing off.

She opened her eyes, and she was back in Urahara's Shop. She felt his cold presence surrounding her. She lifted her blanket there was a hand print on her leg. The hand was only slightly bigger than hers.

* * *

><p>Toshiro woke up. He still felt her back against his chest. He still felt her legs. He knew she was safe. He knew that she still loved him despite everything. He knew he loved her back. He looked out his window it was still dark. He rolled over and went back to sleep the faintest hope that she'd be waiting for him. Neither of them dreamed again that night.<p>

Toshiro was much less harsh after the dream, but he maintained his icy exterior. He was smiling on the inside.

* * *

><p>Karin worked hard. She left little work for Jinta or Ururu, and she loved Ururu like a sister, but she missed Yuzu terribly. She had to stay at Urahara's shop she only finally got to leave when the man felt sure she was not as attractive to hollows, and then she only left for school.<p>

Karin and Toshiro kept up their nightly vigils. His hands were getting very bold. Sometimes she had to stop him. She'd threaten to leave, he would behave for a while, but it was hard for him and he made sure she knew it was. They always met in the ruined soccer field, but that was fine because they were together at least. She was gaining weight and gaining a figure. Toshiro told her she was getting curvy. "You've got quite the little body on you," He had his hands on her hips. She blushed.

For one second she thought of her brother, "I wonder what Ichigo would say if he knew about us, and this place," again she blushed.

A guilty smile crossed Toshiro's face. He leaned into her neck and started to kiss her there.

She giggled, "I think you are drooling down my dress." She grabbed his hands which were high on her hips. She took his hands into hers and kissed his forehead, "I think I need to go. This is getting serious."

"Don't go, I'll behave," He promised. He wrapped his hands around her and pulled her down on top of him. She hit him in the chest and pulled away. She was laughing.

She got up and ran away, "You have to catch me! Captain Hitsugaya!" she was trudging through the snow. He used his flash step and was in front of her. She dove past him but he pounced on her again.

"It's hardly fair for you to use your powers against me." He embraced her and she felt warm.

"You need to be gentler; I'm waking up with hand prints on my body."

The boy turned red, "I'm sorry. I'm not hurting you, am I?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm ok."

He looked at her sideways. She wasn't smiling.

He sighed, "I never want to hurt you again...I broke your heart, didn't I?"

"I'd say you chipped it a bit, but nothing a little glue can't fix," She tackled him and kissed him.

He felt that his heart was mending, too.

...But she was neglecting her zanpaktou; she felt guilty, "Listen, Toshiro I have been talking to my zanpaktou, but what we are doing here is interfering with my training. I haven't learned her name yet. I feel like I may be close. It sounds like Shin... Mit...something. I can almost hear her say it."

"What is she like?" He asked interested.

"She's really beautiful. She gives off a warm glow."

"Sounds like you," He said in admiration.

"You need to get your eyes checked," She rolled her eyes and looked away in embarrassment.


	20. Shining Sword

Notice: Saturday, May 14, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 19 & 20. Yesterday I posted Chapters 11 through 18 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Things are going to start getting more intense. And Toshiro is a total perv in this chapter. Oh no! He's acting almost like a normal horny teenager.

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><p><em>Hey! I wanted to say thanks for all the reviews. :) I appriciate all feed back. If you have any comments, concerns, questions, or suggestions feel free to PM me. I understand some readers are not comfortable reviewing. I promise to answer all PMs pleasently. I try to practice the goldan rule. Flames may or may not be answered depending on how entertaining they are. Warning flammers I <strong><span>will<span>** try to make friends with you...and I tend to be on the annoying side._

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: Shining Sword<strong>

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><p>Karin was compelled to limit her visits with Toshiro to less than once a week. She would sometimes feel him tugging at her, but she knew it was best for both of them if she didn't answer. She and the Lady had begun their training in side Karin's little world. She enjoyed it. She was training in the real world too, but it was a lot harder. Started each day by scrubbing the whole shop and living quarters down. Then she had to go to school. She was forced to quit soccer; much to her friends dismay. She was expected home no more than ten minutes after her class was excused.<p>

It was a three mile run both ways. Urahara would then have her spar with Jinta, and on altering nights she was studying kidou, to give her body rest and exercise her mind. She had a talent for kidou. She was better at memorizing long spells than her brother probably would have been. Despite this, the skill she seemed to prefer was sword play.

She was practicing with a wooden sword. She'd not gotten her zanpaktou yet. Urahara wasn't worried, he sensed she was nearing a breakthrough. Actually he was very impressed with her progress in general. He supposed that pushing her body past it's breaking point sped her progression right along. Urahara sensed something else was going on inside her little world besides training, but chose to not mention it.

Karin was sitting in the soccer field with the "Golden Lady" again that night. She was asking questions again. "Why did you choose me?" Karin determined to get some straight answers was not satisfied with this, "OK, am I supposed to figure out why you are in my spirit's world?" "Are you me?" She knew the answer would be a resounding no. She was surprised by the woman's knowing smile.

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean by not exactly?" Her interest peaked.

"Just that I am not exactly you." The woman actually looked excited.

"So you are sort of me." Karin looked puzzled.

"Well, yes." She was encouraging Karin.

Suddenly Karin felt Toshiro Pulling on her. She fought the urge to answer him, "I'm sorry I have to stay put for now. Tomorrow night I promise." as if he had heard her she felt him let go. "Are you part of me? Are you my soul?"

"You are so close," She was beaming at the little girl that would be her master.

"I know that you are my zanpaktou. You are part of me. Like my arm or my eyes."

The lady smiled.

"You are so beautiful. I don't see why you would choose me. I'm not beautiful. I am not sweet or girly."

"You are kind and strong." The woman encouraged her. The woman gave her a motherly smile.

"You look just like my mother, She died long ago. I miss her," Karin sat in silence. She felt she could go no further tonight. She put her hands on her chin and slumped forward.

"I love you though. I am glad you chose me. I hope you can put up with me."

"My name is Shina Mitsu." The woman whispered.

"What? Shina Mit-su?" Karin lit up with recognition, "I heard you! Shina Mitsu. That's a pretty name."

"Thank you," she glowed a little more brightly, "It means 'light of virtue', or 'virtuous light' if you prefer. You are a child that lives in light, but you still have to earn the right to wield me."

Karin looked worried. She did not know what to do, "How do I do that?"

"I'm sorry that is something I am not permitted to tell you. You have to do it yourself."

"I still have to figure some things out, don't I?" Karin slumped back down to think. Shina Mitsu nodded.

Karin stared at the woman all night.

* * *

><p>The next morning Karin was very inattentive. She kept knocking the bucket of water over as she was cleaning the floors. She was soaked when she finally finished and barely had time to put on dry clothes. She ran to school. There she made many mistakes. She came home. She screwed up her kidou lessens. Urahara was surprised at this because she was usually good if not excellent at performing spells.<p>

"What's with you today Karin?" Urahara scolded her.

"Shina Mitsou," She looked at him.

His mouth twitched, "Who's that, a friend from school." She could tell he knew better, but she was to depressed to care.

"My zanpaktou, I've learned her name."

"Ahh, light of virtue. I could not have picked a better zanpaktou for you," He smiled.

"I have not earned the right to wield her yet," she said.

"Huh," He sat in contemplation, "that seems strange usually the zampakto materializes when you have learned her name and called it out. Have you tried?"

"Of course," Karin was frustrated with this conversation.

"Well, sounds like you'll just have to figure out what she needs you to do." Karin found this advice lacking.

* * *

><p>When she went to bed that night she needed to see Toshiro badly. She needed to torture someone and who better than him. She smiled mischievously. She opened her eyes and she was in the ice field. She looked for the boy he wasn't there. She felt disappointed, worse she felt cold, extremely cold. She resolved to wait for him. Perhaps he had to work late. She sat in the snow and her legs were red from the biting cold, "I'll have to thank Toshiro for putting me in the stupid dress. I'm getting too tall for it to be respectable." She had grown taller since she started her training. She was at least an inch taller. Toshiro noticed. Karin regretted that he was not growing taller also, but she was hopeful that boys in the soul society had growth spurts like the guys in the living world. She remembered how quickly Ichigo grew so tall, he was like a giant to her. She wan't feeling the cold so much anymore. She seemed to be melting into the snow, "Where are you Toshiro?"<p>

* * *

><p>Toshiro was headed back to his room. He felt certain that she would be waiting for him, but morning training had run long and he was forced to stay late at the office as a result. He got to his room and took off his kimono he was instead wearing a plain white robe. He was very tired. He was glad because he wanted to go find her. When Toshiro opened his eyes he saw a huddled figure with snow piling upon her. He went to her. She looked to be asleep, "No!"<p>

"Toshiro! She said her eyes fluttered open, "I came here intending to torture you tonight, I had not planned it this way. Where have you been?" she stiffly wrapped her arms around him. He scooped her up and carried her to a spot where there seemed to be a group of trees she had never noticed. She assumed it was his doing. He seemed to have more control of this version of the field than she did. Under the trees it was a little warmer the ground was covered with soft forest material. The foliage blocked the wind. He laid his haori on the ground and laid her in it. He went to work rubbing her sore red legs, something he would have been doing even if she were not freezing. He was looking up toward her face, but he wasn't looking at her face she realized he was staring at her panties. She reached up and knocked him in the head with her fist.

"You seem to have control over this world could you get me some more clothes."

"No. I like the way you are dressed. It gives me better access," to prove his point his hands shot up her dress.

"Cut it out you pervert," She kicked him in the shin.

"Ouch!" He complained, but he was wearing a roughish smile.

He crawled on top of her and began to kiss her neck. She fought him off and sat up, "Where do you think this is going to get you?"

He pushed her back down, "Let's find out." His hands were creeping up the back of her legs, under her backside and settled in the small of her back. He drew her close to him. He actually felt hot to her; he'd never felt this hot. He had his mouth on her neck. She could feel a grin on his face. It tickled, she started to laugh.

He felt the warmth returning to her slender frame. He was glad. He looked in her eyes with admiration. She began running her fingers through his hair, he liked it. She felt sleepy. She rested her chin in the crook of his arm.

* * *

><p>She opened her eyes and it was daylight. She got up and dressed. She went to work on her chores. She scrubbed and polished all the floors until they shined. She went outside and slipped on her shoes. She checked her watch. "One, two, three...Go!" She was off and running she had been shaving seconds off her time to get to school. She couldn't wait to see Yuzu. She didn't have time to socialize outside of school so she really looked forward to going every day.<p>

She and Yuzu ate lunch together and she had asked her teacher if they could sit together. The teacher thought it was a strange request, but neither of them ever gave her problems, so she agreed.

She ran home every day. She'd see Urahara timing her by stopwatch. He started it at 3:00 pm on the dot and each day she was home more quickly. She would wash clothes by hand and hang them out to dry. The one thing she didn't have to do was cook after a disastrous first try. That night they had to order take out. Nobody made her feel bad about it, well except Jinta. She had really tried, but that particular chore was left off her chore list after that night.

* * *

><p>She had to hold off the white haired soul-reaper. She felt his presence. "Not tonight, Toshiru," She'd say, and he would be gone. She sat meditating in the golden field with the lady watching over her. She'd feel so close to her goal, than the lonely boy would intrude. She was irritated, but she understood how he felt. Shina Mitsu was never happy when Karin went to him, but she held her tongue after the first warning.<p>

She was in the ice field again one night.

"Alright you caught me," she smiled demurely, His pulse quickened, he went in for a kiss, only to get a snow ball planted on top of his head. She slithered out of his arms and grabbed some more snow. He was behind her she turned and threw the snow ball in his direction. He dodged it easily. He was beside her he picked her up fireman style and carried her back to the little nest he had created.

He dropped her roughly.

"Hey! Watch it buddy!" She grinned, but her teeth were chattering. He opened his kimono. She blushed, but he grabbed her before she could stop him. He laid on top of her. His bare chest against the soft cotton of the dress. He began rubbing his hands up and down her back. He pressed his body to hers. She felt impish hands tugging at the elastic in her underwear. He was about to remove them. He had a familiar look on his face, it reminded her of that bully that had tried to hurt her. It scared her for some reason.

"No!" She stopped him; she wasn't smiling, "No-no-no!" She kicked at him. She was really scared.

He forgot his lust. He got off of her, "I-I'm sorry. I should not have done that."

She was panting, it might have been appealing to him if not for the fear in her eyes, "No, no, I'm sorry. I feel like I'm leading you on. I know it's not fair. I love you. _That_ just scares the hell out of me."

"It's not your fault," He felt like a monster. Yet, he still wanted her like that. He hated the fear in her eyes. He could have made her do it too, a sick part of him wanted to do it that way. He shuddered at his inner thoughts, _'I'm sick.'_ If I could kill that part of me I would. Toshiro had come to realize every man had to deal with a little deviant that lived in his mind. He hated his, but sometimes he felt that that part of him was very, very strong, especially here. He could still feel the tug of the elastic waist in her undergarment. It made him hot.

Her face quelled any remaining urges. She had a look of self-hatred and revolt. _'She blames herself._' He became angry all over again. He suppressed the anger lest he target the nearest person, whom he happened to be deeply in love with. Who was now sitting on her knees in sad contemplation.

'_Damn! Why does she have to look so sweet and innocent? It kills me how sexy she looks,' _His eyebrow twitched.

She recognized the exasperation on his face, she drew further into her shell, _'He hates me! I should go. I can't do what he wants me to do. **I can't!**'_

"Karin _this_ is not your fault. You _cannot_ help how you feel. I _can_ control my actions!" Toshiro growled.

_'I'm not so sure about that?'_ Karin thought warily.

"...and if you feel you are being taken advantage of,** please don't ever let that happen**, even if I am the person you have to protect yourself from," He was cold to her, but it was the only way he could manage to say what he said without blowing up.

"I'm sorry, Toshiro. I'm too scared."

He hated that everything she said was only making it harder for him to not want her right than, "I feel like a dirty old man." Karin looked onto his eyes. A smiled cracked on her face, and she laughed hysterically. He joined her.

"It's alright. I love you, old man" She was still laughing, she pressed against him, "I love you more than anyone else, no matter what happens nothing can change the way I feel."

* * *

><p>Toshiro woke up to an iced over bed. He went to training with Rangiku. Their subordinates were sparring he was sparring with his Lieutenant. She managed to land a hit on him every time. He didn't care. He went to his desk and started one form, but never finished it. He was looking at the sky through his window. He woke from this trance when it was already dark. He went to bed and finally went to sleep. He was somehow not surprised to see the girl waiting for him under the tree resting in the relative warmth of the forest compost.<p>

"I'm glad you are back. I am sorry about last night," He sat beside her.

"What happened last night?" She looked across her shoulder at him.

"You don't remember?" He frowned, "I made you upset."

"I don't remember that. You were really sweet to me yesterday," She looked like she was telling the truth, he shrugged off the uneasy feeling that had crept over him. He behaved himself and abstained from touching her.

* * *

><p>Karin was very fast. She made it to school in seven and a half minutes. When she came home she made it in seven minutes, even though it was somewhat uphill. There was Urahara smiling at her. He held up the watch to show her.<p>

"Seven minutes, not bad kid." He looked proud, actually proud.

"I can beat it and tomorrow I will." She was beaming. She went to work washing clothes and linens. She wondered how they could possibly go through so much in one week when suddenly Jinta jumped off the roof and body-slammed her basket of clean sheets. She was so angry she got him in a strangle hold and pinned him to the ground.

"Break it up you two, sparing is tomorrow night. Jinta' Why don't you go re-wash those sheets." He grinned, but Jinta and Karin saw a warning in his eyes that they both better cut it out, "Karin it's time for kidou."

She let Jinta up he started picking up the dust and mud encrusted sheets. Karin followed Urahara.

I want to teach you how to break a kidou tonight, and I have a surprise for you if you succeed. He brought her to the kitchen table on the table was a small white box with a blue bow tied around it. She reached for it and got a shock. There was a barrier in place.

"That box is for you. I don't know what is in it, but it's for you."

She looked at him in a cold calculating way that reminded him of himself. He smiled back coldly.

"How do I-"

He cut her off, "You have broken through kidou before; _you_ just didn't know it."

She looked at him quizzically. She did not expect an explanation. He obliged with none.

She touched it again. She pulled her hand back in pain. She tried again. She saw something. She looked at him. He nodded. She put her hands both on the barrier. It was painful she saw a written incantation. She didn't have time to read it. Her hands were red with pain. She tried again. She held onto the painful barrier. She recited a counter spell and it was lifted.

"You _are_ tenacious!" He praised her. His praises always felt a little patronizing, but he really did look proud.

"What did you mean I had broken a kidou before? I don't remember doing that before."

"Do you remember the third day after you came here, getting up and trying to escape." She didn't like the word escape. It implied that she was a captive here.

She nodded with understanding, "You put a binding kidou on me? Why?"

"Really it was only for your protection, after you almost got us all killed. I was afraid your body was too weak to survive otherwise. You are so stubborn! You were pushing through it as soon as you woke up that first morning," He was laughing, really hard. She had never seen him do that, "I put that kidou on you myself, and it wasn't a puny spell like the one you just broke. You are dumbfounding!"

She took it as a complement. She smiled at him, "Thanks."

She was surprised to see a softer smile appear on his face. He was a mystery, but she felt like she could see past some of the outer layers.

"Don't forget your reward," He gestured to the table. She _had_ almost forgoten.

She picked it up. It was very light, "What is it?"

"Honestly, I don't know," He cocked his hat back in interest, "Open it."

She did slowly. Urahara was enjoying watching her. Her eyes grew in awe. She pulled the pendant out, the delicate gold chain followed.

She couldn't say anything. She looked at the back; it had an engraving, 'Love, T.H.'

"Toshiro," she gasped. She almost dropped the box. She pulled the chain the rest of the way out, and carefully folded slip of paper fell to the floor. She opened it.

It read

* * *

><p><em>Karin,<em>

_I am sorry. I hate myself. I should have never allowed you to_

_become attached to me._

_I want you to know that I do love you, but I can't be with you._

_Please forget about me and live your life. Stay safe. If you ever_

_come to harm I don't know what I would do. Please be careful._

_Love,_

_Toshiro_

* * *

><p>She folded the paper, and placed it gently into the box. She only needed a second to realize Urahara had been keeping this from her. She did not look up, "How long have you had this box?" There was venom in her words, "I was just starting to like you, Urahara!" Her spiritual pressure rose.<p>

"I am sorry. I actually forgot I had it. When I found it in a drawer behind the counter yesterday I decided to give it to you." He explained.

"So, you made me jump through a hoop to get it?" Her hair was hanging in her face. She glared at him through it. Her spiritual suddenly spiked. She was white with rage. Than her body collapsed to the floor. Another Karin, standing next her lifeless form, clutching at her chest. She had the standard spirit chain attached to her body, linking her to the living world. She was clutching it. She screamed. She was still looking at the man. He was astonished.

There was cracking sound. A light was coming from her chest the chain was visibly cracked, and then finally shattered. It disintegrated into vapor. She felt something trying to break through her ribs. The feel of cold metal; like a sharp knife. She screamed, "Shina Mitsu!" She began drawing the sword painfully out of her own body. She was screaming, but she continued. When she came to the length of her arm she was still pulling she grabbed the blade and continued pulling. Her hands were covered in blood both from her chest wound and her now injured hands. The end of the sword slipped out. She dropped it to the floor then fainted. She was bleeding from the wound in her chest, and her hands had deep gashes where she had grabbed sharp edge of the blade.

The man went to her. He examined the hole in her chest. It was closing up. Still she was bleeding from her hands and her breathing was shallow. She was staring past Urahara. The man picked her up and laid her on the table. He grabbed some bandages and began wrapping her bleeding hands.

Tessai came to see what happened, "I heard the girl screaming, is she alright?"

Urahara nodded. She looked over by Mr. Tessai's feet there lay a bloody zanpaktou...and an empty shell that was the girl's physical body. Tessai picked the girl's body up, and laid her on the futon in the small room she was using.

"She just pulled that out of her chest. The wound is healing itself," He showed Tessai. They watched as the hole was being filled in the skin knitting back together. There was no scar, "Her hands don't seem to be healing though. There was a red puddle forming on the table under each severely cut hand. Tessai, got some hot water and cleaned her wounds. He wrapped her hands with bandages. Her breathing was still shallow, and she was in shock.

Karin woke-up late the next morning. She looked and there was Urahara sitting next to her. If she didn't know any better she'd say he looked worried. Karin was still angry with him, but she was too tired to argue. Her hands hurt, '_why do they hurt?'_ She lifted her hands to her face they were wrapped in white gauze with red saturating the middle of each.

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><p>The prevous night. Urahara had examined the sword closely. Karin's zanpaktou, Shina Mitsu, was shiny with gilding on the reverse side. It looked razorsharp. It sported a golden hilt with two pale blue tassels hanging from it. There was a floral inlay on the side of the sword.<p>

* * *

><p>"Morning," She said glumly, "What are you doing here?"<p>

"I was just sitting here. You know you're zanpaktou is very exquisite. I would like to see it again when you are feeling better. It did not look like an ordinary zanpaktou. Perhaps it was manifested in shikai form."

"Shikai?" she looked curious.

"There are three forms your zanpaktou can manifest as, the second lowest level is Shikai, but it usually takes a soul-reaper a great deal of training with the zanpaktou to reach each level. Your brother's zanpaktou seems to stay in shikai form." He was looking through her again. She hated that, so she made her best attempt to do the same. She sensed unease.

"You and your brother are so alike, yet so different. You know, you creep me out sometimes."

"Feelings mutual," She looked at the strange man. They both laughed.


	21. This is a Very, Very Bad Place!

Notice: Saturday, May 14, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 19, 20 & 21. Yesterday I posted Chapters 11 through 18 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Things are going to get very dark. Warning for the squeamish this gets pretty bad. Warning for sexual assult, but no rape thank God!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21: This is a Very, Very Bad Place!<strong>

* * *

><p>Urahara was impressed with her progress. She had been training for less a month, but she had accomplished at least a year's worth of work. As he promised the pace was grueling, but she seemed to be thriving. He admired her for that. The man had become very fond of her. That was something he had not expected. It was fine though because she was very interesting to him. At times Karin was defiant and unruly; mostly when in the same general area as Jinta. She'd argue with Urahara, but if had anything to do with training would give in and complete any task set before her.<p>

Ururu worshiped Karin like a little sister might. Karin and Jinta fought like cats and dogs, but seemed to respect each other. Tessai had a soft spot for the girl. He was never stern with her, unless it was for her own good. Mostly he just doted on her. Karin in return was affectionate to Tessai.

Karin was smart and quick witted. Urahara could picture her one day entering the department of research and development in the soul society. The department he used to head. He was wise not to hope for this, because she enjoyed sword play too much. She was as good with the sword as with kidou. She was going to have to choose her focus. He knew she'd prefer fighting. He hated to see her brains wasted, but he would not interfere any more than he already had in her destiny.

He smiled at the girl sporting a familiar black kimono. There was a glint of gold. The necklace seemed to stay with her even in spiritual form. She never took it off for any reason. She had her sword drawn. She smiled at the man. She knew he was not mocking her today.

Urahara had gotten used having an air of mystert around him. Most people were easy to read, very few saw past his exterior. The few that could were old, old friends and they really couldn't truely read into his motives. Karin was not always transparent. Sometimes Urahara felt her peering into him. She saw past some of his tricks. Maybe further then she let on.

She always seemed on guard with him. He appreciated this; it's an excellent trait for a fighter to have. He drew out his zanpaktou. He nodded. She charged him. He dodged her easily. He attacked, she blocked him. She lunged. He gracefully stepped aside. She recovered and attacked again. He dodged, barely. She moved behind him. He turned to attack. She was gone. She was very fast, even by standards of a soul-reaper. Urahara doubted he could keep up his pace longer than she could. She was still running to school every day. She was down to just about five minutes each way. She seemed to plateau at five minutes. He knew she could do better, but decided not to push her harder. She was pushing herself to her physical limits anyway. In soul-reaper form she was five times as fast.

One day he told her that he bet she could outrun the fastest soul-reaper. She was unaware that the real purpose for her running was not strength training, but safety oriented. When Urahara had decided to take her on as a pupil he knew she was very tempting to the hollows, he had to make sure she was safe. He had a barrier placed around her school, and one around the shop. It kept her spiritual presence hidden; she only left its protection for five minutes twice a day. He knew she may figure it out eventually, he did not care. She was always trying to figure him out. He enjoyed the challenge she presented. Few people observed things on his level.

She is going to be an extraordinary soul-reaper, He thought as he dodged her blows. The only way he could keep avoiding her was to use the flash step technique. He was not going to let their match progress that far. He looked lost in thought. She thought she had him, but as she lunged he dodged her and tapped her on the head with the broad side of his sword.

* * *

><p>When Urahara decided she was ready to spar with Ururu, the little girl refused. Ururu never said 'no' she was too meek and obedient. "I won't fight Karin, I don't want to," she said flatly.<p>

Karin went to her, and took her little hand, "This is important. I need to get stronger so that I can protect myself. It's OK? I promise I will be alright. Please?"

"I guess so." She said in her little voice, "Please be careful. I can't stop until you hit me."

Urahara had already explained that to her. He didn'ttry to make her wear the stupid armor he had made Ichigo wear. He knew she'd see through him. Oh he knew she would wear it, but she'd take all the fun out of it for him. Then they started. Karin could dodge the little girl with no problems, counter attacking was much harder. She'd go in for an attack, and barely avoid a lethal blow.

Once she was actually grazed. She felt heat and cracking of bones as she rolled away. She picked herself up, and held her side. She came at Ururu; she just managed to get out of the little girl's way. She decided that even if she was faster than Ururu, she could not dodge forever. She began watching the girl as she ran the girl's attacks were random, and constant. Karin stopped and dodged. She spun on her foot. Ururu had a harder time recovering. She turned and attacked. Karin did the same thing. She saw her opening.

The next pass Ururu made she rolled out of the way and tapped the girl gently on the shoulder. Ururu stopped. Karin fell on her bottom. She was exhausted, but smiling. Ururu was very pleased. She hugged Karin. Though it hurt her ribs badly, Karin didn't let on.

Urahara was clapping, "Very good. Hopefully you won't break any ribs next time."

"What are you talking about?" Karin hissed through the pain.

He put his hand on her rib cage, the girl yelped in pain. She was used to Urahara and Tessai putting their hands on her it was not like when Toshiro touched her. It was unemotional, clinical and professional; like a physician's hand, "Tessai, Miss Kurosaki needs medical attention. She has at least has two broken ribs, can you take care of her for me?"

"Don't call me Miss!" she hissed angrily, "Tessai I can walk please don't pick me up." Karin fought the large man as he scooped her up off the ground.

"I am sorry Karin, I must insist, you are injured and must not aggravate your injuries," he gently carried her up to the shop. She undressed. She was used to this kind of thing; it was like going to the doctor. Tessai put balm on her bruises. He tightly wrapped bandages around her chest. It felt much better. She slipped her arms back into the kimono and knotted her belt.

"Thanks Tessai." She smiled at him.

"Not at all, just please be more careful." He said in his gruff voice.

She started back toward the training ground. He rested his hand on her shoulder. She looked up behind her. He had a look on his face that said, _"That's enough for tonight."_

"OK Tessai," She took his hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze, "Good night."

* * *

><p>She went to bed and slept peacefully. She spent the whole night with Shina Mitsu, practicing with her sword. She felt the pull of her love, but she brushed him off she was too worked up over the excitement of the day. She knew Shina Mitsu disapproved of her going to him, was it him or that place? She hated it. He needed her, and she needed him. She had not been to see him since getting her zanpaktou. She wanted to show 'her' to him, and to thank him for the necklace. She had the necklace on even in her dream world.<p>

* * *

><p>Urahara had been pondering Karin's sudden transformation. Unofficially she was a soul-reaper. She was still not finished training she could go so much further. He just wondered about the incident he replayed it in his mind. She transformed without any assistance. Would have eventually done it without somebody to guide her? Perhaps, only there may not have been anybody there to stop the bleeding from her hands or protect her helpless shell when it had happened. He had never witnessed such a transformation. He only knew of two living humans who had accomplished it. She managed not to become a hollow, or a vizard either. He hoped.<p>

"Maybe it's because," he said out loud, "she had pushed her body passed the breaking point." That night she had almost killed all of them with her power. He was loving the puzzle she presented. He felt a chill in the air, "Winter is almost here. I wonder when Aisan is planning to make his move."

He looked in on the sleeping girl. She had grown a few inches since she had started training there, but she slept on her stomach with her arms curled under her chin. She looked like a little baby. She was huddled in her little futon. He smiled a soft caring smile he reserved for when he was sure no one was looking at him. He got another blanket for her and covered her. She snuggled it. She was very cute when she was sleeping. He chuckled, and left her to her sleep.

* * *

><p>Karin was with the lady, she felt Toshiro's pull. It was especially strong, "I'm sorry Shina. I must go to him."<p>

Shina Mitsu frowned, but said nothing. Karin was in the cold place. He was waiting for her. He had a strange look on his face. He was staring at her chest, "Oh, Urahara finally remembered to give your gift to me."

He smiled.

"Oh and I got my zanpaktou. She suddenly realized her hand was empty, "Oh, Shina, you coward!" She was angry with her zanpaktou for hiding from Toshiro. He snickered. "I really did get her! She is just so set against my coming to this place, or to see you. I don't know which."

"Sounds like she is jealous," He put his hand on her cheek and admired her, "You're taller I think…than the last time I saw you. I have really missed you. It has been a while since we were here together." He'd been here every night. She knew it.

He looked her over, her dress was getting really short, and tight in the chest. He could not change her clothes. Maybe it was because he could not let go of that night.

"I'm faster than Urahara, now." She bragged. She leaned toward him and kissed his cheek.

"Well if he doesn't use flash step." She explained. "I still don't know how to do that. I am getting better with my zanpaktou every day, maybe someday I can join the soul-society."

The idea of her dying was painful, but somehow appealing to him. She would surely make it through the academy in no time. He shook off the thought. _'You bastard! How could you think of depriving her of her life for your own selfish reasons.'_

She saw conflict on his face. She took his hands and kissed them, "Whatever you are thinking stop it and kiss me."

He obliged. He picked her up and took her to their little nest. He laid her in the soft plant matter. He lounged beside her. She was looking into his eyes with admiration.

"I really missed your eyes." She blushed.

"I missed you, all of you." He touched the pendant hanging in her slight cleavage. He noticed the development.

"You are growing up, so quickly." There was regret in what he said. She was going to grow up and leave him behind (physically at least). He grabbed her and pulled her close to him. He began kissing her, and groping at her chest. It made her uncomfortable, but she missed him too much to protest. She felt him sliding his free hand up the inside of her leg. This she did put a stop to. He grunted at this, but took her hand in his and put it on his body. She felt a desire that had been lacking before, but it scared her even more.

He had that scary look on his face again. She closed her eyes and pushed him off her. She rolled over on her side away from him. He was angry. He stalked off into the snow. She lay there on her side. She was glad he left. She stayed there; she knew he needed to cool off.

When he came back he was in no better mood. She saw he was very unhappy. He was losing control. He grabbed her and forced her to her feet.

"No!" She fought him. He looked into her eyes. There was something else in there with him. Something evil.

"Shina was right this is a bad place. It's twisting you, and It makes me feel weak!" He had his hands on her dress he began pulling it off her.

"No, Toshiro don't do this." She was frozen to the spot.

"You wanted it, I felt it!" She heard two voices. Something was in control. It had been stealing their energy. She felt it. It looked at her with a hunger on it's face.

She was fighting to keep her little dress on. It began to rip at the seams. It was being ripped right off her. It hurt. The thing punched her in the stomach. She doubled over. It continued to attack. She felt something familiar about the corrupt energy. It was on her. It was removing her underwear. She screamed.

"Toshiro! You're hurting me!" she screamed at him. She clawed at his face. He grabbed her hands and held them down. She felt heat coming off him. She kicked at him.

"Please don't do this!" She cried.

The white haired soul reaper shook his head violently. They were frozen in that position. Then his trance was broken.

"No," He gasped. She saw tears forming in his eyes. He collapsed on her, "I'm so very sorry." He cried into her bare chest. For the first time she noticed a silver thread. It was wrapped about his neck and hers. It was linking them in a nightmare. She grabbed at it. It was hard to catch hold of. She managed to take hold of it. Suddenly it tightened around the boy's neck. She saw aline of blood drawn across his neck.

"No!" She grabbed at the evil thing that was trying to slice through his neck.. She managed to somehow get her fingers under it. It was cutting into them, but she resisted letting go. She pulled with all her strength. It was extremely painful, but she kept pulling. She felt it snap. The boy wasn't moving, "Wake up, Toshiro!"

She rolled him onto his back. She pressed her lips to his and breathed into his mouth. His chest rose than lowered as the air left. She tried again. He was motionless.

"No!" She hit his chest as hard as she could. Toshiro coughed, and gasped. He looked up at her. His eyes bulged. She was almost completely naked. He rolled over, "What has happened to you?"

"We were-are in a trap," She explained.

He peaked at her. He blushed. He had a very vague memory of the past month. He saw that her fingers were bleeding. He forgot his shyness. He got up quickly. Too quickly, He sunk back down. She came over to him. She was not even aware of the state she was in. She touched his cheek with a bloody hand. He was looking at her he couldn't help himself.

He tore off his haori, "Would you put this on." He was more distracted than irritated. His face was red. She removed the shredded remains of the little white dress. She felt for the necklace. It was still there. She breathed a sigh of relief. She wrapped herself up as best as she could.

"Toshiro, this place is bad. **Very bad!** It has been twisting you, and me too," She sounded more self-assured than she ever had in this place. That hollow, somehow it stayed with me, and I guess you too.

"You know you're bleeding, right?" His voice cracked. He was looking at her hands.

"Check your neck," She looked at him. He felt his bleeding neck. It was painful. But it was't deep. She had saved him from losing his head,_ literally_. He smiled up at her.

"We need to leave this place, if we can." She looked concerned, "How long until it regains control? Toshiro, it made you do things. You seemed to enjoy doing them." She looked into his clear blue-green eyes.

He looked shamefully at her, "What did I do? Did I...? Did I, hurt you?"

"You never tried to hurt me until this time, but you were trying to get me to...to..." She couldn't finish, she just could not say the words.

His mouth was agape. He knew he was attracted to her, but he'd never force himself on her. _He would not_, but that perverted hollow wanted him to, "You're right, we need to leave this place. If it doesn't let us we will have to fight our way out."

Just than he felt like he was being jerked backward. She saw him fade out of existence.

* * *

><p>Toshiro woke up in the medical ward. He had a bandage around his neck. Rangiku was sitting next to him. There were tears brimming in her eyes.<p>

When she saw he was awake, she faked a smile, "Captain, you had us very worried. You didn't come to work this morning. I came to look for you. Your room was covered in ice. You had something in your neck, One of those strange insects, I think. There was that silver webbing all over your room. I knew you were acting strange…since we got back."

He rasped, "You're crying."

"I am not," She wiped her eyes. He looked irritated at her. She smiled for real, she knew he was ok.

He wasn't, or rather he knew Karin was not ok, "Rangiku?"

"Yes Captain?"

"Can you get in touch with Urahara? Karin is in danger." He had a cold anger in his eyes.

"I will, right away." She left him there to worry about the little girl trapped in her own mind with a monster. A monster that wanted her for more than food.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Bad, bad, bad, so very bad!<em>

_Karin is strong, but this is very bad! I'm so worried about her, and poor Toshiro! He didn't mean to do it! The worst is almost over but she has to fight through it!_


	22. Breaking Through

Notice: Sunday, May 15, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 22. Yesterday I posted Chapters 19, 20 & 21 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Things are going to get very dark.

Warning for violent physical assault and sexual molestation of a minor.

* * *

><p>On a personal note this whole story was sort of a cry for help. I was trying to work through some heavy emotions by myself and I have had a life time of issues to work out. (No I won't be discussing my personal issues here. I only poured my emotions into this story, not any actual instances of abuse.)<p>

I am seeking therapy now. I had very recently suffered an emotional breakdown severe enough to have put me off work for the last four months. If I offend anybody or if you think my writing goes out of bounds. Please let me know.

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><p><strong>Chapter 22: Breaking Through<strong>

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><p>Karin looked through his body as he seemed to evaporate, "Toshiro!"<p>

She grabbed at him but it was as futile as grabbing at smoke. She slid to the ground in confusion. It could no longer use him as a tool against her so it had banished him from her mind. "It's alright, I'm still here," The strange voice echoed in her head, "You look so innocent and sweet." There was a lust in the things voice she hated.

"What do you want with me, you Monster!" She screamed into the air.

"I just want you," It cackled at her, "only you. Those other girls were poor substitutes for you. You were a perfect little porcelain doll. You tried to hide under those boyish clothes. But I saw through them. Ah-ahhhhh! I remember a pretty little girl she had dark hair and eyes. She was playing in the park. Her mother was tall and blond there was a blond brat there too. The woman was tending to the crying little girl. She had her back turned to the pretty little doll. I was sooo close. 'Come along, Karin!' She said. That bitch took you away from me."

"How dare you call her that! **_I'll kill you!_**"

"Just you try," The wind picked up angrily, "I watched you many times after that. The bitch brought you and the brat back, I watched you." The voice laughed crazily, "I never had such a sweet opportunity again. Then one day you didn't come back. I waited for weeks and weeks. I finally gave you up. It hurt soooooo much."

"Shut-up! Monster," Karin was covering her ears. It was no use the thing was in her ears.

"I'm not finished, bitch!" An unseen force hit Karin across the face, "See, see? You **_MADE_** me hurt you. Why do they all make me have to hurt them. I just want you to feel good. I watched other girls hoping they were you. I played with them, but I broke them. They were too little I guess. Besides they were not you. Ha-ha-ahhhhh! I'm going to play with you tonight."

She felt a heavy hand caressing her face, she cringed, "Monster."

"One day I saw you playing soccer. It was you. I knew I'd found you when one of the other brats called your name, 'Karin'. Your name is very pretty. It makes me want to love you. I was too excited I was going to take you then, but I didn't see that car coming."

It stepped out of the blizzard. A mild looking man in a business suit. His head was half crushed. He smiled with only a few teeth left in his broken head. She shrunk back, "Aren't you glad to see me. I'm glad to see you." It jumped on her.

She screamed, "No!" She managed to fight it off and crawl away.

* * *

><p>It was pitch black out, so dark. A ringing sound woke the former soulreaper from his dreamless sleep. Urahara noticed an erie feeling as he peered out the window. It was much too dark for even the wee hours of the morning. He grumbled and got up to answer annoying ringing of his shop's phone. Whoever dared to wake him was going to get a peice of his mind.<p>

He made it to the hallway and felt for the light. It was flicked on before he found it. Urahara squinted as his eyes were ajusting. "Nah, go back to sleep Tessai. I've got it."

The muscular man nodded and turned back toward his room silently.

Urahara picked up the phone thankful for the noise to come to an end. he stifled a yawn and cleared his throat. Without missing a beat he spoke in his sugariest sappy voice, "Urahara's Candy Shop...Our hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. If you wish to leave a message please do so after the beep" he almost hung up but he felt a tension radiating in the atmosphere.

"Stop messing around Urahara," Rangiku came back sharply, "Karin is in danger. That hollow...the tree with the bugs...it's not dead. it attacked Captain Hitsugaya. Somehow it followed him here and he didn't show up for work at all yesterday and when I finally went to check on him." Urahara swore he heard a quiver in the woman's voice. "When I finally checked on him he was covered in silver webbing. it was all over the room. He was almost beheaded by a strand of the silk. I tried to cut it with my zanpakto but it would not break...I tried to pull on it it sliced up my hand." She insinctively flexed her bandaged fingers. "Then it broke as if of its own accord and he began to cough. The captain is in the infirmery now. He just woke up and he said Karin is in danger!"

Urahara hung up the phone without bothering to answer her. He ran to the girl's room and tore open the sliding screen door. Karin was covered in sweat there was a trickle of blood coming from fine cuts across the fingers on her left hand. Urahara saw the silky thread on lying on her pillow. It was moving. He tried to take hold of it. It avoided him, but he managed to get it. He tried to remove it. There was screaming in his head. The thread was wrapped around her neck. It tightened, but did not slice into her neck like it had Toshiro's. It wanted her alive.

Her head moved like someone was slapping her, hard, "No," He heard that one word quietly escape her mouth.

"Karin!" Urahara tried to pick her up. An unseen force slammed her against the wall, there was the sound of breaking wood and crunching bones. The man looked frightened for her. The invisible hands continued to beat her.

* * *

><p>Karin was fighting it off as best as she could, but in the deep snow her movement was limited. It pinned her to the ground. It was punching her in the stomach. Her mouth was bleeding. It kissed her. She felt herself retch. It had his claw like hands on her. When it was trying to control the boy. It was not able to perpetrate the amounts of violence it wished to deal her, and the thing did not want him involved in the first place, but the 'BITCH' was blocking the monster from her. It needed bait to get her to this place that Shina Mitsu had closed off. It had planted Toshiro with a corrupted insect, before those stupid soul reapers thought they had finished it off.<p>

"I Thought they killed you," Karin kicked between its legs. It only smiled.

"I'm a tree, I grew back." She felt his probing hands trying to violate her.

* * *

><p>She was crying. Urahara had gotten the girl off the floor. She seemed to relax, but there were tears streaming down her cheeks. She wasn't moving, and her breathing was irregular. The thread was still there. She was trapped inside. By this time the whole household was awake. Karin was bleeding from several wounds. It appeared that her leg was broken. Her recently healed ribs were sticking out through her pajamas. She was rasping.<p>

"Tessai! I need your help!"

The man came quickly as he had not had the chance to return to sleep. he gasped at what he found, "Karin!" Tessai looked at her broken frame. He was visibally shaken.

The silver thread slithered about her neck like a tiny serpent. Urahara noticed something, the 'serpent' thread avoided her pendant. Perhaps it had some power. He touched the pendant. Then picked it up and pressed it to the silver thread. Urahara saw Karin's face change. The expression changed from one of fear to one of anger and vengeance.

* * *

><p>Suddenly she felt the weight of Shina Mitsu in her hands. She angrily thrust it into his chest. She twisted it. She was breathing hard. She screamed at him. It rolled off her. She went after the monsterous being, stabbing and chopping. She had blood and grime on her face.<p>

* * *

><p>Her hands twitched. It looked like she was holding something, "Fight, Karin." Urahara said quietly through gritted teeth.<p>

* * *

><p>She continued driving the monster back. She wasn't cold anymore. She had no time to notice she was now in her black Kimono. Her little bit of gold around her neck. She lunged at the thing that was now on the run. It got smaller. She was gaining footing against it.<p>

"Die! Die! Die!" She barked as she hacked at it. It slithered out of sight, **"I'M GOING TO SCRAPE YOU OUT OF MY MIND PERVERT!"**

It vanished from her sight. Again the wind picked up and the snow begain to pelt her face. It was hiding in the snow, what was left of it. She couldn't see it but she sensed it. Karin felt compled to action and on instinct she commanded her sword, "Shine, Shina Mitsu!" The sword, gave off a powerful blast that lit the sky up she saw it, "Shine!" She screamed again. She pointed her sword at the quivering, disgusting thing. A powerful beam hit the quacking mass of rotten flesh. It was scrubed from her mind.

* * *

><p>Karin was screaming her eyes opened. She looked around the room emotionless. She relaxed a sad expression came over her, but with a satisfied smile.<p>

Everybody relaxed. "Tessai, Help me. Jinta, Ururu, go back to bed." The kids left, a little disappointed they were not allowed to help. Tessai had to set her leg, her ribs were forced back into place. The girl was deep in her own world still. Her cuts and bruises were pretty bad.

"You're not going to feel good when you wake up," Urahara frowned. He touched her face, '_She's just a kid! What the hell did that thing do to her?'_


	23. A Tragic Tale

Notice: Sunday, May 15, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 22 & 23. Yesterday I posted Chapters 19, 20 & 21, so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for angst, and sad things.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23: A Tragic Tale<strong>

* * *

><p>Karin opened her eyes it was very bright, "What time is it."<p>

Nobody answered. She looked over toward the door. There Urahara has sitting legs crossed and arms folded on his chest. He had his eyes closed, but Karin knew he wasn't asleep. Karin forced herself to get up and fell on the man. She wrapped her hands around him and buried her face in his chest. She was crying again. He opened his eyes almost with surprise.

"Oh, Mr. Urahara," She said forgetting their agreement to drop the formality of titles, "I'm so sorry!"

"Karin," He was at a loss for words, for the first time as far as he could remember.

"Mr. Urahara, I got Toshiro involved in this, and now I am so worried about him," Her words were muffled. She was sobbing. The man may have not been comfortable with this close contact, but it didn't show.

Karin needed to touch someone. She needed to feel a real live human being. Kisuke Urahara was the closest thing to that with in reaching distance. She ignored any physical pain she might feel. Her broken leg had ended up being tucked under her body somehow. The man picked her up before she could damage it further. He cradled her fragile body.

She told him everything that, that evil thing said to her. She added, "It's true I remembered seeing him when I was a little girl."

'_You still __**are**__ a little girl,'_ The man said to himself with much regret.

Karin went on, "I remember a man watching me when my mom wasn't looking. He tried to get close to me more than once. We used to go the park all the time with Mom, but when she died we didn't go back for a really long time. By then I guess he had assumed we had moved away or something." She looked up at him, her eyes pleading that he believe her. He nodded. "He was a bad man. He liked to take little girls. Girls like me. He'd hurt them," She shuddered.

"He sounds like a very, very bad man." Urahara was stroking her shoulder length hair.

"Then I remember one day, just a few weeks before I met Toshiro," Karin had rarely mentioned the boy in front of Urahara, but he saw her face light up on those rare occasions, and soften even on _this_ occasion as she was telling him about horrors he wished he could have spared her from experiencing.

"We were practicing in the park, because the big kids had the soccer field. I saw him, he scared me. I didn't recognize him, but he recognized me. I saw his mouth move he said my name. He stepped off the curb to cross the street without looking. A car hit him. He was coming after me that day too." Urahara looked at her, horrified.

Urahara gently questioned the little broken figure, "Karin, what did it do to you?" Urahara respected her greatly he had learned that she not only endured physical pain she could push past it to become stronger. This kind of pain was beyond his ability to mend. Her face was haunted. His eyes reflected that emotion. She didn't need a mirror to recognize it. She knew exactly what the man was asking her.

"It wanted to do what you are thinking. It tried…put its hands on me there," She whispered and looked away. Her hands went instinctively to that private place as if to protect it. Urahara was seething on the inside. He kept his cool expression and hoped the poor girl didn't feel the rage that was brewing inside him. She would surely take any anger she sensed as being directed toward her.

Karin seemed to calm down, "Shina Mitsu finally came to me. She was angry with me for going to see Toshiro…but it was on me, its claws touching..." There was rage in her eyes, "I thrust her into its chest. It tried to run, but I just kept hacking away at it." She grinned hatefully.

He began rocking the little girl, he didn't know why it just seemed like it would be comforting to her. He sensed he was being watched.

"Karin needs some privacy right now. Please go do the chores," His voice was flat, both Jinta and Ururu ran from that voice. He continued to rock her.

"It ran and hid from me, but I had to kill it I couldn't have that thing living inside me for the rest of my life. I couldn't see, it was dark and snowing in there. I gave Shina Mitsu an order and the sky lit up. I could see everything. I ordered her again and that thing was burned up by the light."

"What did you tell her to do?" He smiled.

She smiled back, "Shine." Urahara saw a peaceful yet sad expression on her face, it left quickly, "I'm sorry-I'm sorry." She sort of squirmed as if suddenly realizing she were in a very uncomfortable position.

He shushed her, "You are not to blame for this." He held her gently to his chest and continued to rock her like she was a fussy baby.

'_You never cease to amaze me,_' He smiled on her. She had elicited emotions from him that he normally would have kept locked deep beneath his calm exterior. The man had the realization that he loved this child.

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><p>He had never had parental instincts. He never had his own nor had he ever wished for any children, but Karin was as skilled at winning love as she was with a sword. Karin had a tough exterior, but there were tragically deep wells of pain and sadness under the surface. His heart ached for her.<p>

* * *

><p>Eventually Karin's breathing slowed, she snuggled him in her sleep. He heard soft faint snoring. His mouth twitched. He almost could not stop from laughing, but he kept it in check. She was very adorable as she clung to him for comfort. He was glad to give her what little he had to offer. Urahara stayed with the waif for the rest of the afternoon. At dusk Tessai took over the watch without a word. There had been a discussion, before she had woken up, about what to do if-when she regained consciousness. They could not leave her unsupervised.<p>

Urahara's insight had often glimpsed a well hidden wish for death. He was not going to allow her to take her own life. The two other children were not privy to this information, they only understood that Karin could not be left alone for any reason. The first couple days she slept almost all the time. She'd refuse any food, she stopped speaking almost completely. Nobody knew what to do about this.

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><p>The night Karin confessed all that had happened to the man, he went looking for the tree. He knew it must still be out there. Somehow it had survived. He found a clearing there were still signs of a battle. He found an ugly black sapling barely clinging to the earth. He sliced through it with his zanpaktou.<p>

He still felt the presence of evil, ever so weak. He began digging at the roots of the sapling. There being protected by earth and roots was a hollow mask. He thought that was strange.

"Didn't Ikkaku say he destroyed the mask? Could you have been a parasite on another hollow?" He asked the mask as if he actually expected it to talk to him.

Suddenly spider like creatures began swarming around him. He didn't need to think twice. He smashed the mask. The insect like things fell to the earth then turned into dust. There was a faint hissing sound then silence, the sensation of evil was gone too.


	24. Get Your Act Together Miss Kurosaki

Notice: Sunday, May 15, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 22, 23 & 24. Yesterday I posted Chapters 19, 20 & 21 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Remember that comments and concerns are welcome. You can always PM me and I'll get back with you quickly. Hey even if you just want to make a gripe about my writing or want to chat about the weather that's fine i have t

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><p><strong>Chapter 24: Get Your Act Together Miss Kurosaki<strong>

Karin spent the next week staring at the damaged wall in her room. She neither ate nor slept at all. They would not leave her to her own devices. So it seemed to Urahara and Tessai that she was killing herself by more passive means. Everybody tried to talk sense into her.

Jinta seemed to be the loudest and the most upset, "You stupid Idiot. You are going to die! Do you know what that'd do to Yuzu!" Her eyes grew very sad, but she rolled away from the boy and ignored him, He screamed and stalked off, " If you make her cry again I'll kill ya' myself!" Ururu quickly took his place lest anything bad happen as Urahara had darkly hinted at the two of them.

"Karin please don't be sad," She said sniffing tears away, "He's—He's just upset. Because you are hurting yourself!" She was crying softly. This made Karin feel even more horrible than what Jinta had said about her sister.

This little girl had done nothing but care for her since she had been there...and she was repaying Ururu's kindness by making her cry. It was just that she could not eat, she couldn't sleep. She was afraid of what she would find in her dreams now. Would Shina Mitsu abandon her now? She felt so pathetic.

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><p>This went on for more than a week before Unahara marched to the phone and dialed it, "Oh hello, yes, please it is very important that I speak with your captain."<p>

Urahara looked at Tessai, "Please go get Miss Kurosaki!" Urahara sounded very aggravated. He knew she needed an emotional kick in the pants and only one person, in this world or the next, had the kind of influence over her to accomplish such a feat.

"Hello, Captain Hitsugaya. I am sorry to interrupt you while you are working. I know you are very busy, but I have a student here who needs some sense talked into her. She has not eaten for over a week. She _doesn't_ sleep and refuses to even talk to anyone," Urahara was smiling dangerously.

"Right," Hitsugaya was actually scared by the man on the other end, but realizing what Karin was doing had also caused him to get angry. She was cheating herself out of life. He was absolutely not going to let that happen, _ever_, even if he had to go there and force food down her throat. Hitsugaya heard the phone changing hands.

"Karin," He said into the phone his Lieutenant had given him.

"Toshiro?" Karin said with a rusty voice.

"Why are you not eating?" As he spoke he grew very irritated with the girl, "Don't say a word. I know why! You are being a stupid selfish idiot! If I ever hear of you intentionally starving yourself again I will personally come back to the living world and **I WILL MAKE YOU EAT!** Do you understand?" She nodded in astonishment, as if he could hear her nod he continued, "Good! And you need to sleep!" The boy Captain was so loud everybody could hear him clearly, "If you ever try to harm yourself again I'll-I'll," he was at his breaking point anger faded to sadness and shame.

She heard what was almost a sob. She blinked back tears and tried to respond, "Tosiro, I am very sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. I hate myself."

"Don't say such things I can't love a woman who hates herself, and I love you dearly."

"I love you," Karin's eyes began to roll back. Urahara took the phone off the fainted girl.

"Captain I still need to have a word with you." He looked at Jinta and Ururu, they knew he wanted privacy they went outside. Tessai tended to Karin.

Toshiro was still looking for someone to be angry at, but Urahara beat him to it, "Captain, you need to get your head out of your ass!" Urahara had his attention. Captain Hitsugaya needed to know that he had acted stupidly, and Kisuke Uruhara was going to tell him.

"Some very preventable tragedies have happened since the two of you met." Toshiro felt like he was being lectured by a father trying to protect his daughter from some worthless delinquent, which was just about right on the money. Though Urahara didn't think he was worthless, but his student had suffered dearly since she met the boy.

"I know," the man heard the shame and the understanding, in the boy's voice.

"I'm not finished. You allowed yourself to be used to get to the girl. First as bait, and if I am correct it tried to use you to hurt her also, am I right?" The man waited.

"Yes," Toshiro was barely audible. He had his hand over his eyes in anguish. He knew he had not only let her get hurt, _he_ had hurt her. How many of those occasions were preventable, he supposed all of them would have been if he had been acting like a captain and not a foolish lovelorn boy.

"Captain, I realize this is hard. You have to be strong, face your mistakes and learn to avoid them in the future. I'm at fault here too. I had an idea she was doing something strange in her sleep. I sensed your energy on her sometimes. I chose not to interfere. If I had Karin would be much safer and of much sounder mind. The children are not aware, but that girl may try to kill herself. We havn't left her alone since that night for fear that she would act on her desire to die." Toshiro knew he wasn't mistaken when he heard worry in the man's voice.

"She needs to be kept safe, is there anything _I_ can do...She is very special." Toshiro opened up his feelings and set them on the table. He knew it really wasn't necessary, but he suddenly felt he needed to prove himself to this man who had become a surrogate father to the girl he was in love with.

"She needs _you_ more than anyone else right now," he paused, "Now don't go running off from your duties. A phone call whenever you get the chance would be enough. It's a good thing I slipped that phone to your lieutenant the day you were all escorted back to the soul society. Keep it." Toshiro heard his creepy smile return. He was done scolding now he allowed himself to slip back behind the veil of mystery he usually tried to keep up.

"I'll call every chance I get," He planned on it too. The call was cut off. Toshiro sighed. It wasn't as good as actual contact but it was a far cry from the emptiness he had to look forward to every night. He looked on the phone there was a picture of Karin as the background, "How'd that get there?" He looked at the memory it had pictures of Karin and he together, and of just Karin.

_'Urahara is so strange, why would he have had these pictures taken?'_ He was irritated and yet comforted by this strange gesture. _'She looked so happy that time,'_ A faint smile crept onto his face without him knowing it as he scrolled through the pictures.


	25. Recovery All Over Again

Notice: Sunday, May 15, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 22, 23, 24 & 25. Yesterday I posted Chapters 19, 20 & 21 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Ok yet another perverted stalker is coming up. Please let me know if Karin is going all Mary Sue. If you don't know what that means basically is she too strong, too perfect, and so loved by every boy to the point that it makes you want to gag and turns you off the story? Cause most of the guys chasing her are at least a little bit off and I am going to Lump Toshiro in with that group. My reasoning is that he has to be at least a little unstable to be able to survive having Rangiku as his lieutenant.

Also I hope the characters are pretty much adhering to their intended personalities, but remember that growth brings change. That includes in behaviorisms and actions.

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><p><strong>Chapter 25: Recovery All Over Again<strong>

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><p>Karin was finally eating, as promised Toshiro called her regularly. Sometimes Karin would be forced to tell him good bye. He needed their talks as much as Karin did (which was a great deal).<p>

Thanks to Tessai's care Karin was up on her feet in a very short time.

She was sleeping too, but she often had nightmares. On the first occasion that she was finally left alone at night her spirit spiked as she screamed in her sleep. Urahara tried to wake her when a focused blast of her pure spirit energy hit him in the chest. He crashed into the threshold of her room and actually broke down the door. He awoke in bed the next morning. Tessai had placed him there then cleaned up the mess after Karin calmed down.

After that a kidou barrier was placed around Karin each night. Than another on the room to protect them all from her outbursts. She didn't always need this precaution, but regularly she brought the household out of a sound sleep with her raw power. Karin was unaware of any of this.

She still had to wear a cast on her leg, but she was allowed to go back to school. She didn't mind leaving extra early to go with Jinta to get her sister.

Yuzu was so pleased to have her sister back she cried that first day. She got to walk to school with two of her favorite people. Yuzu took both in hand and the three of them walked to school like that. People were staring at the strange display, but none of the children cared.

Karin was so glad to take her seat next to her sister. She had grown since her appearance at school. She felt some of that old discomfort of being stared at again. Her hair was down to her shoulders she wore it parted to the side. She was taller and curvier. Some of the other girls in her class looked taller too. Yuzu was as mature looking as Karin, but thanks to Jinta she was relatively safe. Besides she had been here the whole time so everybody was used to her.

Karin was exotic looking, and lovely. For some reason the cast she wore just made her that much prettier (vulnerability equates attraction). She walked into her class and glared. It had more of a sexy smoldering look, but the fire that went with it threatened to burn those brave souls who dared to approach her.

* * *

><p>One boy however was not so easy to brush off. Souta Akiyama of the seventh grade class. He was the most popular boy in school, tall, and a very hansom boy at that. He'd had his eye on Miss Kurosaki since that day the white haired boy showed up at their school, '<em>What was that guy's name? Hell! It didn't matter that kid was long gone. Kurosaki is a hard nut to crack, but I'm going to crack her.'<em>

Karin knew his reputation and disdained him.

At lunch the girls sat together. Yuzu had packed lunch for two. Karin was so excited to have some of her sister's cooking. She was about to dig in to a handmade rice ball when he plunked himself down right between them on the bench in the school yard. He put his arm around her shoulder in a familiar gesture she did not appreciate one iota, "So the two Kurosaki twins are finally reunited." Karin felt a dark hint was dropped, but tried to ignore it. She knocked his arm off of her.

"Hey take it easy, I just came over to talk to you," than he turned to Yuzu, "And you." He smiled a charming smile that had won many of the girls over, but it was not working on either of the Kurosakis.

"I'm sorry Yuzu I think I just lost my appetite." She got up to leave she felt a hand on her butt. She turned and clocked Souta. He slid off the bench. She took her rice ball and munched it as she walked away. Really she should have been given detention, but Souta didn't mention it to anyone. neither did anyone who happened to see the scene play out.

* * *

><p>The next day Karin was approaching Yuzu at lunch. There was Souta; charming smile, one eye swollen shut. He was sitting on the back of the bench trying to flirt with her sister. Yuzu was icy toward him. She was never that way to anyone else, but after what he'd done to her sister she could never forgive him. He saw Karin. She spun on her good heel and started to walk away.<p>

He ran after her, "I'm sorry Karin I was way out of line yesterday." She walked on in silence. He grabbed her arm; she turned an angry eye on him. He smiled. He liked that he bothered her that much. He thought she was trying to make him work for _it._ She jerked her arm loose and tried to leave. He stepped in front of her.

"Karin wait I just wanted to ask you a question," He was getting close to her face. He felt her hot breath on his face.

"Get out of my way!" Karin gritted her teeth and used a voice that most intelligent people would have recognized as threatening.

"Not until you answer my question." She tried to go around he grabbed her arm again. She smashed her uninjured heel into the top of his foot. He let go of her, fell and grabbed the injury. She breezed past him her hair swayed as she looked back to enjoy her handy work.

He looked up in time to see her hair swishing as she returned her gaze forward. His heart raced. He watched her bottom as she walked away, "Oh yeah she wants me." He could stand to take some more abuse for the sake of that butt.

* * *

><p>Karin hated avoiding people, but Souta was driving her to it. She had skipped lunch for the third day in a row. Her stomach growled angrily at her. It wanted some of Yuzu's yummy food, but she found herself hiding from a boy that still managed to find her usually. She actually ran to the Janitor's closet one day when she saw him in the hallway. She was waiting for the first bell to ring than she'd slip into the hallway.<p>

"We'll Shina what should I do now. I can't hide from him forever."

_'Why __**are**__ you hiding?'_

"Cause I'll end up beating the crap out of him eventually."

_'He sounds like he needs to be beaten,'_ Shina chuckled.

"Maybe, but I don't want to get expelled." Talking to herself and having somebody answer back was still a little unnerving, even though she loved the zanpaktou.

Suddenly the door opened. There was Karin sitting on an overturned bucket. Souta popped his head in, "There's my shy little plum blossom." Souta had taken to calling her pet names. It made her want to gag.

"Can't you take a hint? I hate you," Karin stood up and suddenly slipped in a small puddle of soapy water right into his arms. He was ecstatic. She was revolted. He embraced her she pushed off of him and nearly fell back onto the closet. He grabbed her waist in an attempt to be heroic. This resulted in him knocking her to the floor and face planting into her chest. He was blushing, but smiling at the same time. It was an unusual way for him to feel her up, but he would take what he could get.

The boy certainly wasn't shy. He was smiling up at her from between her small breasts. She pushed him off of her, "Get off me you pervert." She got up none to easily her cast had gotten wet and slick on the bottom. Her leg was almost well but she tried to walk the thing slipped. The boy heard her give a sharp cry.

"Karin, are you alright?" He was still smiling, but he was worried that he had caused her to re-break her leg. He went to her and tried to help her. She refused.

Souta tried to escort her to class, "I'm so very sorry my angel. Please let me help you." He tried to take her hand to put it on his shoulder. She snatched it away and painfully limped away.

"Come on plum blossom," (Plum blossom seemed to be his favorite nick name for her. Maybe it was because her dark eyes resembled plums in color.)

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><p>Toshiro never used stupid pet names for her. She preferred it that way. The closest he ever came was referring to her as 'woman,' and that was only when he was in a teasing mood. She missed his shyness at touching her; well except on those occasions in her dream world, but that was hardly a normal case seeing as he was being influenced by a hollow. She loved Toshiro's straightforward way with words.<p>

* * *

><p>Souta was like his opposite. When he spoke it was never straight and to the point. When he touched, or attempted to, he was always overly forward. She had on many occasions felt something brush against her bottom only to turn and see him walking behind her, or passing her, or standing just a hair's breadth behind her. If he were less than an arms-length away she would punch him. However, she <em>would not<em> dignify his actions to run after him.

She kept a fast enough pace to lose him in the crowded hall even if it were painful and treacherous on her newly slick cast.

After class ended Souta ambushed her and put his arms around her, "How's your leg my love?" She elbowed him and walked away. Souta Akiyama loved aggravating that poor girl. Karin was very beautiful when she was angry. Her eyes burned darkly, her lip pouted, her silky hair swished as she drew back to punch him. He was very much in lust with her.

* * *

><p>He followed her home that night. She was too upset to notice. When Karin, Jinta, and Yuzu made it the Kurosaki's houseclinic. He had planned to try to convince her to go out with him, at the very least the pervert was hoping to grope her some more. He knew she'd hit him. Karin's blows somehow made it more exciting for him...But Karin did not go in with her sister. She went off with that redhead. They were silently walking away. He went along behind them. Who is this kid he's no player. What's she doing going out with him? Souta thought with his little perverted mind, _'What's that kid got going for him? He's two timing one hot girl with her even hotter sister._' He failed to notice that they did not talk, hold hands or even look at one another.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Jinta?" Karin said as quietly as she could, "Is someone behind us?"<p>

"What?" he was already looking, "Yeah I saw him leave school right after you." She looked without turning her head out of her peripheral vision she was certain it was Souta.

Karin was pinching the bridge of her nose as a stress headache spread across her forehead, "Crap. What in the _hell_ do I have to do to get that creep to leave me alone," She was saying this to herself, but Jinta looked at her concernedly. They had both stopped. The other boy decided he'd been noticed so he walked right up to Karin.

"Hey Karin! Why are _you_ out with _Yuzu's_ boyfriend?" He sneered.

She turned sharply, a little too sharply her leg twinged with pain, "Well, you seem to have already formed your own opinion. Why don't you tell me what we're doing?" She glared up at the boy who was really not much older than herself, but was almost a foot taller.

Souta was not looking at her eyes. His eyes wandered from her chest down to her legs and back to her chest. Jinta observed Souta looking at her as if she were something to eat. Jinta stepped in front of Karin. He and Karin never got on very well, but despite that they did like each other. Jinta moved to protect his friend.

"Hey what's your problem? Why don't you just run home?" He dismissed Jinta with a wave of his hand, "I'll take Karin back home for you." Souta pushed the boy, Jinta didn't budge.

"Karin you should go on, you're late for kidou. Urahara's going to be mad," He said this without taking his eyes off the bigger if not stronger boy.

"You're right Jinta, we're both late and Urahara's probably already looking for us," She gently placed her hand on his shoulder as if to call him off the intruder. He looked back at her. She nodded and they both turned and walked off leaving an astonished Souta staring mouth agape.

When they got home Urahara was waiting, smile on his mouth, in his eyes none. Jinta tried to take the blame, Karin explained that it was her fault. They got into a shouting match trying to protect each other from being punished. Both were made to do extra chores.


	26. Detained

Notice: Monday, May 16, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 26. Yesterday I posted Chapters 22 through 25 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Souta Akiyama is a budding sociopath. Just read and you will see what I mean.

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><p><strong>Chapter 26: Detained<strong>

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><p>Karin, Jinta and Yuzu walked together to school. Well Jinta and Yuzu walked hand in hand Karin trailed behind. She was tired after chores and kidou she went to bed really late, and then she still had faint memories of a bad dream. She couldn't quite remember it, but she preferred not anyway. She'd stopped walking without realizing it. She looked up and the two lovebirds were about a block ahead and not stopping. She tried to hurry as much as her leg would allow her. She was going to be late to school, "What's wrong with me?"<p>

'_Nothing is wrong with you,' _Shina answered the question.

"Oh you know what I mean! I'm going to miss the second bell!" She grunted with pain.

'_You're hurting yourself,'_ Shina warned.

"I don't care!" She didn't notice that people she passed were staring at her, as she seemed to be babbling to herself. She made it into class just as the bell was ringing. She slid into her seat breathing heavily, and looked at her sister. Yuzu was upset about something. "Hey, Yuzu what's wrong?" Karin spoke in a very soft and caring voice that was only ever used with her sister.

"Oh, Karin the other girls said-they said-," Big tears were rolling down her pink cheeks, "They said that, Souta Akiyama saw you and Jinta kissing…" She was on a full blown crying jag now, "Karin, I-I know it's not true. I know neither of you would do that, but they-they're saying such mean things about you." She was this point blubbering into her sister's shoulder. Karin comforted her baby sister. She was getting angry.

"It's ok, I don't care about what those _bitches_ say." Karin felt a weak sob come from Yuzu. That was the last straw! She was gonna make that jerk pay, _dearly_. She shot up and bolted from the class room. She was traveling at a surprising speed. She found Souta hanging out in the hallway flirting with some seventh grader. The girl took one look at the enraged Karin and ran to the girl's bathroom. She grabbed Souta's collar and slammed his head into the concrete wall.

"How dare you make Yuzu cry? You **BASTARD**!" She screamed. She was beating the snot out of him literally. He had snot running out his nose. Strangely he was smiling at her each punch or kick he thought about how sexy she looked.

* * *

><p>This all happened in a matter of seconds. She had only gotten her fourth or fifth punch in when the seventh grade teacher restrained her.<p>

He was a little dazed, he slid down the wall still looking on her admiringly. They were both escorted to the principal's office.

"What were you thinking Kurosaki?" the old man said looking down at her defiant face, "You could be expelled for this!"

"No, please sir, It was my fault," Souta had since recovered his senses.

"What are you talking about Akiyama? How is it your fault that Kurosaki beat _you_ up?"

He humbled himself, but Karin saw through his act, "It was only supposed to be a joke. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings."

Karin glanced sideways at him.

"I told a lie, and it was only supposed to be a joke, that I saw Karin Kurosaki kissing her sister's boyfriend, "It-it's not true and I'd feel terrible if she were to get punished for my stupidity." A fake tear rolled down his cheek.

'_Nice touch Souta, don't bleed the well dry,'_ Karin thought unimpressed. Her own eyes were red and puffy. She had not shed any tears for herself, but for Yuzu's little heart she couldn't help herself.

"Is this true Kurosaki?" The principal asked. She looked at him and nodded. He saw the sadness there. He knew that Akiyama was acting, and Karin was not. He had felt pity for the girl, but they still both had to be punished.

You both will get detention. Karin looked out the window nervously. It was getting darker earlier and Urahara was going be pissed if she were late two nights in a row.

'_What can you do Karin?'_ Her zanpakto asked. Karin wisely kept her silence.

* * *

><p>Souta seemed quite happy to be in detention that afternoon. They were seated next to each other. Each child was expected to write an essay about their crime. Souta's was, 'Why I should not spread rumors.' Karin's was, 'Why I can't solve my problems with violence.'<p>

Souta was finished in no time. He just sat back and enjoyed watching Karin squirm in her seat. He thought it was because he was staring and her assets, it was really the sense of unease that being out after dark brought. She had trouble concentrating on her paper. Souta kept quietly making noises and leering at her body.

'_What a creep.'_

'_I agree.'_

'_He is such a bastard!'_

'_Let's beat the __**rest**__ of the snot out of him_,' Shina Mitsu laughed.

'_Shina I'm surprised at you!'_ Karin caught herself mid chuckle. It had sounded like a hiccough.

Souta grinned at her. He was doing something nasty where the teacher could not see, but she was sure to see. Karin thought she might vomit.

'_What a crude, perverted little monster!'_ Shina sounded dangerously angry.

'_Just pretend he's not here! Later let's just kick the __**shit**__ out of him!'_

Karin turned away from the horrible cretin and finished her paper with a shaky hand.

* * *

><p>When they both left he was on her heels all the way to the exit, "Leave me alone you pervert!"<p>

"Come on my little plum blossom; you know you want _it_!" He reached for her.

She most certainly did not want _it_ or him. "The only thing I want is to get the _hell_ away from you, **YOU SICKO**!" She turned to run.

There standing under a streetlight was Kisuke Urahara, "Is there a problem here?"

"Urahara I'm sorry," She looked ashamed of herself. He looked kindly on her.

"So, who's your friend?" Urahara looked at, or rather through the boy.

"He's no _friend_ of mine," She kind of shuttered at the word friend.

'_What the __**hell**__, who's this __**S.O.B**__? There is no way! He's like old enough to be her father,'_ Souta thought in his little troll mind of only one thing. If the man is not her father or brother he is a potential lover. The boy put on his fake charming smile, "I'm Souta Akiyama," He held out his hand to greet the stranger.

Urahara made no move to take the boy's hand. Every thought that boy had just had, had played across his face for the man in the hat and clogs to read. He was disgusted. He smiled his fake smile too. His eyes expressed hatred toward the boy. The boy faltered.

"Come on Karen, you're late for kidou practice."

"Kidou practice again?"

"Well how are you supposed to spar on that bum leg of yours?"

Souta was greatly disturbed by that old guy, but his eyes settled in their usual spot on the girl's firm backside. Urahara's head turned instantly in the boy's direction. His eyes were diamond hard. He knew the where the boy was looking and that was all the warning he was going give the human. The boy turned and ran.

"Karin is that boy bothering you?" Karin knew better than to lie, she nodded.

"Are you ok? He hasn't tried anything, has he?" Again she couldn't lie, and she nodded.

"Next time he comes near you beat the shit out of him, ok?" he said in a monotone, but Karin sensed his inner rage at Souta. She was glad because she also felt enraged.

"We had already planned on it," She smiled up at her mentor. He cracked a silly grin, but his eyes were sad.

'_There are some sick individuals out there, but I think this is something worse. The dark energy in this town is warping many of these humans. They are weaker to resist doing evil. It's not just you. There are plenty of others falling victim to it, Karin,'_ Urahara was only theorizing, but the evidence was very strong in favor of the suspicion.


	27. Texting

Notice: Tuesday, May 17, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 27. Yesterday I posted Chapter 26 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Have gotten really busy I may be slowing down on the updates. Especially since I have some major editing to do coming up soon.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 27: Texting<strong>

* * *

><p>Karin looked out the window when she woke up the next morning. There next to her bed was a box. She opened it. There was a phone in it. She looked at it looked a lot like the phone Toshiro had when he had been here, "That's for you."<p>

Karin jumped. She saw Urahara looking down on her, "Just in case you get into trouble again, oh and you can call the soul society with that too. I have Captain Hitsugaya's number programmed in for you. Just remember he is really busy with the battle looming. Try not to bother him too much."

Karin forgot herself. She hugged the man and said, "Thank you!"

* * *

><p>Toshiro called her often, but she had to talk to him on the main phone out where there was no privacy. She was admiring it, it was a smoky blue color. She saw it was equipped with a camera. She looked and there in the phone's memory, was one picture. Her in her black Kimono wielding her golden zanpaktou. She wondered when that picture was taken she could not remember.<p>

"I thought you might want to send that picture to him," Urahara was still there, "I think he would like it."

Toshiro's phone buzzed. He had a text-a text from Karin Kurosaki. He opened it up. There she was dressed as a soul reaper. She was holding a zanpaktou. Her face was beautiful. He was sitting at his desk admiring the picture when Rangiku leaned over toward him, "What' you looking at?" She stole the phone from him, "Is that Karin!" Rangiku was excited, "She's-she's a soul-reaper!" She was smiling.

"Please give me the phone back." Toshiro was reaching for the phone. She was evilly holding it out of his reach.

"Her sword is beautiful! She's gorgeous," She looked proud, "Captain you're going to have a lot of competition when she finally comes to the soul society."

He was standing there growling at her with his arm stretched out just an inch or two away from the phone. She gave it back, finally. He closed the text, before reading it. He decided he'd check it later.

There was little time these days. There was a dark energy growing. Everybody was on edge, well almost everybody. Rangiku was still laughing at her superior.

Karin had hoped he'd reply, but she knew he was very busy and was probably working right then.

She went to school. Before the first bell rang her phone buzzed. There was a text from him. He did read her text.

As soon as Rangiku left the office he got his phone out to look at her again. He read the text.

* * *

><p>Toshiro,<p>

Urahara gave me this phone so I could call you directly. He took a picture of me when I wasn't looking, but I think you'll want to see my zanpaktou. Isn't Shina Mitsu pretty?

Toshiro could you send me your picture? I'd like to have it to look at. I really miss you.

Toshiro had never noticed that the thing was equipped with a camera. He took a few seconds to figure it out. He held his arm out and snapped a picture.

He turned the phone over to look at the picture. He was smiling just a bit, his eyes were very serious though. He returned the text.

* * *

><p>Karin,<p>

I miss you too, and I love you very much.

* * *

><p>Karin was so engrossed in his picture she failed to notice the shadow of a tall boy behind her. He had his hands around her waist before she knew what was happening, "Get off me, Pervert!" He let go, but took her phone from her.<p>

"Well, well, well...I guess you are still seeing that brat with the white hair," He looked envious but he was still smiling. She tried to get her phone. He held it above his head. She was reaching. He was enjoying look at her stretching her thin body to reach for her phone.

"Give me my phone!" She jumped and she snatched it out of his hand, "Leave me alone, CREEP!"

He loved making her angry. Her mouth pouted her, eyes lit up angrily. He noticed, too, that she had her hair tied back instead of stuffed under that stupid hat, "You look so good today."

She walked away; he watched her backside, _'Too bad he's not actually here anymore. Who is going to protect you next time you're on your own. That old guy?'_

As if Karin had heard his thought she turned and glared hatefully at him.

Karin silenced her phone and stowed it in her pocket. At lunch time she took it out and admired his eyes. She showed Yuzu. Yuzu smiled when she saw how happy Karin was. Karin's friends wanted to see him too. Yuzu stole the phone from her sister and showed him to them. The girls were all jealous, "Karin, he's got such pretty eyes. You are so lucky. I wish I had a cute boyfriend," Yuzu's friends gushed.

"To bad he had to move away. Long distance relationships are hard," Another girl said as if she knew the pain of losing love.

Karin's phone lit up. She took it. Toshiro had sent her another message!

There was a picture of an angry Toshiro grabbing for his phone.

* * *

><p>Hi Karin!<p>

It's Rangiku! I caught Captain Hitsugaya drooling over your picture. I had to take his phone. You make a very pretty soul reaper. I warned him he'd need to keep an eye on you. If you were here you'd have a hundred suitors lined up to walk you home at night.

You take care of yourself. He really misses you.

I miss you too, sweetie!

* * *

><p>Karin smiled brightly. She guessed she missed Rangiku, also, but most of the time she spent with the woman she was unconscious.<p>

Karin kept the picture, though. She returned Rangiku's message.

* * *

><p>Toshiro,<p>

Tell Rangiku Thanks. Rangiku if you still have his phone please give it back to him, and would you give him a kiss for me.

Love Karin.

* * *

><p>Rangiku did still have the phone. She checked the message. She smiled. She bent over and handed him the phone. As he tried to take it she kissed his cheek, "That was from Karin." He wiped his cheek in disgust.<p>

Suddenly they heard an alarm sounding. He stowed his phone inside his Kimono. He and his Lieutenant went to report in.


	28. Bad News for the Tenth Squad Captain

Notice: Wednesday, May 18, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapter 28. Yesterday I posted chapter 27 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Thanks for all the reviews guys. For any of you hoping Karin would get to kick Souta's ass, I'm sorry. She won't be getting that chance…not yet at least…and I don't know how far her knowledge of hado or kido should go because she prefers the sword.

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><p><strong>Chapter 28: Bad News for the Tenth Squad Captain<strong>

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><p>There were five menos, only five.<p>

"This doesn't feel right," Captain Hitsugaya said more to himself than to his Lieutenant, "It has to be a trap or a diversion."

"Maybe Aizen's just testing the waters," Rangiku volunteered. Both knew that was very unlikely.

"Anything's possible," Hitsugaya shrugged. They were strong but nothing a captain couldn't handle. They arrived at the wall of the fifth division. There just outside were five huge menos tearing the rukon district apart.

Captain Zaraki and his lieutenant were fighting one. Actually he was fighting and she was hanging on his neck happily laughing and cheering, "Go, Keni!"

His second and third seats were tackling one of the other menos.

Captain Kuchiki and his lieutenant arrived just before Hitsugaya and his. Byakuya didn't hesitate, but he unemotionally launched himself at one, they all look the same, giant black beasts, huge ugly masks. They were mindlessly destroying buildings and eating souls. Hitsugaya took one on himself. Renji and Rangiku look at each other, he smiled, "Ladies first."

"You are such a gentleman," She wasn't smiling. They both launch an attack at the last of the great hollows. The battle was surprisingly short. None of the soul reapers left the battle field. The anticipation for a second wave was too great. They stood there for what felt like ten life-times.

Finally Rangiku could not stand the tension, she spoke up, "Hey Renji! You have to see something," She had a cat grin on her face. They were talking quietly, but not too quietly for the other's to notice. Yumichika and Ikkaku were very curious. Their captain had taken a seat meditation style; Lieutenant Yachiru still hanging off his back lovingly.

"You guys come too, you have to see this." Rangiku assaulted her captain, reaching into his kimono.

"What the _HELL_ are you doing!" The tiny captain blushing and trying fight the busty blond off of him.

'_How deplorable, she has no respect for her superior_,' thought Kuchiki.

"Got it!" She pulled something from the inside of his shirt. Rangiku held up the little black phone. She clicked through the memory until she found the picture.

Take a look at this. She held it up.

"Who's the babe?" Renji asked.

"Take a closer look." Her cat grin spread.

Renji took the phone from her, "Wow she's pretty hot I haven't seen her before. Who is she, a new recruit?"

"Look at her face," She was all smile at this point she had no eyes left. She bore a striking resemblance to Gin Ichimaru right then.

"Ugh! Ichigo's sister!" He dropped the phone as if it were a poisonous viper." Yumichika caught it, he and Ikkaku looked at her.

"Wow she is beautiful," Yumichika said in his almost feminine voice.

Ikkaku sort of blushed, "Not bad I guess." The three men were sort of awe struck that Ichigo's little sister was holding a zanpaktou. Not just any zanpaktou, it was obviously in shaiki form.

"Her zanpaktou, it's gorgeous." Yumichika sounded a bit envious.

Captain Hitsugaya was paralyzed with anger. If he could have moved right than someone would have died. If only he had been able to move to take it back.

* * *

><p>Captain Kuchiki was about to leave when he heard a certain name.<p>

"...Ichigo's sister!"

* * *

><p>Suddenly a graceful hand took the phone off the astonished Yumichika, "What did I hear you say about Ichigo Kurosaki."<p>

"Um, yes Captain, um sir. It's Ichigo's kid sister," Renji was beyond capability to cover the truth.

Kuchiki was looking at the phone. He found the zoom button, He zoomed in on the zanpaktou. Her face was partially in frame. The stoic Captain Kuchiki recognized that eyebrow. The Captain turned and started to walk away.

"I must inform Head Captain Yamamoto of this," he said in a stony voice.

Captain Kuchiki looked at the face of the girl. She looked innocent, she reminded him a bit of his own sister. He hated what he was about to do to the girl. He had to, it was his duty. Without even meaning to, he scrolled through the images. He was shocked to see the girl in very casual even intimate contact with the tenth division captain. He knew this would condemn them both. Duty was one thing, but destroying somebody's little sister (even that substitute soul-reaper's sister) was a completely different thing. He stopped in his tracks. The cold hard exterior masked a very kind and gentle soul, and a tempest of indecision.

Hitsugaya realized what would happen before it happened. Captain Byakuya Kuchiki was approaching. Hitsugaya broke his paralysis, but it was too late. His icy face was frozen in a scowl.

"No," Rangiku gasped, "C-captain, I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry."

Hitsugaya was not worried about the consequences he was facing, but what was going to happen to her, Karin is completely innocent. _'No-no-no! I have been her doom since she met me!_' Hitsugaya had stopped breathing. His eyes glazed and he pictured her lifeless broken body.

"Captain, what are you going to do," Rangiku was crying at her horrible mistake.

He woke up, "I must go to the Head Captain."

* * *

><p>Renji went after his own Captain. Ikkaku and Yumichika exchanged guilt ridden looks and returned to their own captain.<p>

Renji found his captain standing in contemplation. He waited for his captain to say something. He thought he'd have a long wait. Then without speaking the man began walking calmly. _'I've made my decision,_' The man thought as he shut the little phone off and stowed it in his own Kimono.

What's the captain going to do with that phone? Renji was afraid for the little girl.


	29. Fetch the Girl

Notice: Wednesday, May 18, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapters 28 & 29. Yesterday I posted chapter 27 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 29: Fetch the Girl<strong>

* * *

><p>Captain Kuchiki approached Head Captain's office, His Lieutenant was behind him. Not far behind them was Captain Hitsugaya.<p>

"Captain's what are you doing here? I already have a report on the battle," Head Captain Yamamoto looked at the three soul-reapers curiously.

"Head Captain," Kuchiki spoke up, "I have just learned that Ichigo Kurosaki, has a sister with spiritual powers that are possibly equal to his own. She has gained the abilities of a soul-reaper and has a zanpaktou."

"This is interesting news. Where did you learn this from?" Captain Yamamoto asked.

"Former soul-reaper Kisuke Urahara is training her, Captain Hitsugaya Just informed me. He has been in contact with Urahara since coming back to the soul society," Kuchiki told his half-truth.

Hitsugaya had to fight the urge to faint. Had Byakuya Kuchiki just lied to the head captain? He kept his composure and maintained his icy demeanor.

"Very well, since you have made contact with Urahara about this, would you go get the girl? Captain Hitsugaya?"

Kuchiki spoke up again, before Hitsugaya had the chance agree, "Head Captain Yamamoto? I would like to go retrieve this Kurosaki girl."

"Very well, bring her here directly. I would like to see this newest soul-reaper." Head Captain Yamamoto's face almost gave a hint of curiosity.

"I shall go with you Captain," Renji volunteered.

"No," Kuchiki said flatly.

"Your captain is right, you must stay here in case we are attacked again. Your division needs you." Yamamoto agreed with the Captain of Division Six.

The three left their superior silently.

_'Why would Captain Kuchiki have lied to the head Captain? His duty was clear. I should have been imprisoned for withholding information...and if the nature of our relationship has been discovered possibly executed,'_ Hitsugaya doubted that Kuchiki was unaware at this point of any of the facts that could have been gleaned from the phone. He kept his place and waited for the worse.

* * *

><p>Preparations to open a gate to the living world were made. The gate was opened. When Kuchiki walked out he found himself not far from that place he had found his sister, that time, with that orange haired soul reaper. The captain rarely came to the living world, yet he always seemed to be here to drag someone back to the soul society.<p>

It was already dark out. It generally takes a few hours to open the gate, but something had been interfering this time. Kuchiki followed the soul ribbons. He easily found the strange Little Shop. The man let himself in. There was Urahara calmly sipping tea, at a small table near the back of the shop.

"Greetings Captain Kuchiki," He did not get up or even turn to greet the man, "Please come sit and have some tea."

"I've come to collect the Kurosaki girl," Kuchiki had no time for Kisuke Urahara's foolishness.

"Oh I am afraid that's not possible, not right now," He waived Kuchiki to come and sit. Kuchiki put his hand on the hilt of his zanpaktou, "That isn't necessary captain." Still not looking, "It would be impossible for you to take her right now she's having a nightmare."

Kuchiki was a little confused. How could her nightmare stop him from taking her. Suddenly Kuchiki felt the crushing sensation of her raw spiritual power being released. He heard a young girl screaming. This horrible sensation of doom was communicated to the two men. Kuchiki found that his ears were ringing painfully his heart was about to stop. He staggered a bit. Than the pressure lessened.

"You'll probably want that tea now," Please sit and when things calm down a bit I'll explain everything.

Kuchiki finally obliged. Kisuke poured him some dark liquid. The two men sipped quietly. From his vantage the captain saw a small figure huddled in the corner of her room. Her eyes were open and there was a look of terror that almost made him shudder. The tiny room was dark, but there seemed to be a faint light surrounding the girl. She was looking in the direction of the two men, but she didn't seem to see anything.

Kuchiki recognized that there was at least one barrier up around the girl. As if reading his mind Urahara volunteered an explanation, "We have to keep two barriers on the girl. She has already broken one that keeps her from moving in her sleep." The other is to contain her power. If not you and I and everybody with in a hundred yards would be unconscious now." As if to punctuate this another outburst came this one was stronger than the last one.

Kuchiki could barely think, _'What raw power, how could this be possible?'_ He gritted his teeth in pain. Both men watched the poor frightened girl. She collapsed and the spiritual tremors subsided.

"Phew that was a really bad one. I think it's over, but let's just give her a few minutes just in case she is not finished." Kuchiki could hear sorrowful moaning coming from the girl. He noted that Urahara looked worriedly in her direction.

"May I ask, you a question?" Captain Kuchiki's stony expression did not show the pity he was feeling for the girl, but Urahara sensed it.

"Do you want to know why she is having such horrible nightmares?" Kuchiki nodded, "That child has suffered horrors I don't even want to imagine." The captain was surprised to see Urahara shudder at the thought.

"Karin was attacked on two occasions by the same hollow. It somehow had the ability to infiltrate her mind. While in there the monster sexually assaulted the girl. She told me it only happened once, but I feel she is lying about that, to me and to herself."

Kuchiki was shocked out of his normally unemotional state, "How could that have happened? I have never heard of anything such as that? Hollows are only interested in-"

"Feeding. Yes I know. Karin divulged some insight into that, but now seems to have suppressed all memories of the event, that is probably why her nightmares are so bad."

Urahara filled Kuchiki in on the things he had learned from Karin. Suddenly a small figure sidled up to Urahara. She was in a black kimono. Kuchiki looked and saw the little girl still crumpled on the floor, but she was not moving.

The girl took Kisuke's Hand, she whimpered "Mr. Urahara."

She buried her head into his shoulder and cried. Urahara was not at all surprised.

"How?" That was all Captain Kuchiki could say.

"Oh yeah, she's full of surprises. She can break powerful kidou without even thinking about it." He put a hand on her shoulder and comforted her. She put her arms around his neck and asked, "Who is that man? He scares me."

Kuchiki half raised an eyebrow at this. Urahara explained, "It's OK he's a soul-reaper like your brother." The captain did not like being compared to that substitute soul-reaper, but he chose to let it go since the girl seemed to relax a little. "This is Captain Kuchiki. He's going to take you with him to the soul society," He was speaking to her as if she were a much younger child, but at that moment she seemed to have reverted to the mental state of a five year old.

"No," she sobbed into the man's shirt. Urahara further surprised the captain by picking the girl up and rocking her. He shushed her. She stopped crying and rested her head lovingly on his chest, "I don't want to go there Urahara."

"Toshiro is there though, you want to see him don't you?" The girl nodded. Urahara knew that Kuchiki was aware of Captain Hitsugaya's secret so he did not see the point in hiding anything.

He rocked the fragile girl back to sleep. She snored softly, and cuddled the man. His heart ached to let his little pupil go, but He realized that things were getting too dangerous for her here.

He handed the girl over reluctantly, "I doubt that she will have another nightmare tonight. She rarely has two in a single night."

Captain Kuchiki felt very uncomfortable holding the girl. Karin unconsciously nuzzled his shoulder trying to make herself more comfortable as she slept. He turned to leave, "I will make sure that nothing bad happens to the girl."

Urahara felt the emptiness of losing one's child. He knew he'd see her again, but things would be different. He sighed and went to look after the girl's body.


	30. Danger in a Small Package

Notice: Wednesday, May 18, 2011—So far for today I have uploaded chapters 28, 29, & 30. Yesterday I posted chapter 27 so if you didn't check in yesterday then you might want to go back.

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 30: Danger in a Small Package<strong>

* * *

><p>It was already extremely late, but there all the captains and their lieutenants sat waiting for Captain Kuchiki's return. He approached Head Captain's office once again, this time he was carrying a sleeping girl in his arms.<p>

* * *

><p>"Thank you, Captain Kuchiki, for bringing Miss Kurosaki here," The old man looked at her. She seemed pretty innocuous right then, but she was wearing a black kimono and in her sash was a scabbard a golden hilt sticking out of it, Please set her down here. Indicating that he wanted the girl set in the center of the room. The captain noticed as he was putting her down that her leg looked like it was healing from a severe injury(Her cast had stayed with her physical body). He also just noticed that she wore a gold necklace.<p>

* * *

><p>After she was set down she started to wake up. She opened her eyes to find 26 sets of eyes watching her. She was still partly out of it. She panicked and screamed. She began backing away from the huge old man that sat before her. She reached for her zanpaktou. Captain Kuchiki had wisely taken it from her before he put her down. She reached the back of the room and felt a wall at her back. "Shina what do I do?" she screamed. She paused as if listening to someone trying to talk sense into her, "No-no-I'm not OK. We have to leave, but I can't find you!"<p>

Kuchiki made the mistake of approaching her. She collapsed to the floor crying. Suddenly she released a crushing pressure. The entire room felt the weight of her massive power. Toshiro wanted desperately to go to her, but he could not for her safety sake. Everybody seemed to be experiencing her pain and terror. Captain Kuchiki who was closest was nearly sent to his knees, not just by the power of her spirit, but by the anguish he felt resonating from her body.

"Someone, please calm the girl down before she destroys herself," A female voice commanded from nowhere and everywhere.

* * *

><p>Karin had her eyes shut she was screaming so loudly she was completely unaware of what was happening to the people surrounding her. She had her face to the floor. Suddenly she felt a firm hand resting on her head. It was calm, but firm. She knew this hand could take her life if it chose too. She sensed it had taken many lives in its time. Still it was not necessarily unkind. She looked up to see a strange man—he was huge. He had spiky hair and an eye patch. He griunleashed a crazy grin that frightened her, but she knew he was not going to harm her. She felt the anxiety subside. All the tension left her body and she fainted. There was a collective sigh of relief heard from many of the people sitting in the long room as the immense pressure was lifted.<p>

"That kid is definitely Kurosaki's sister!" Zaraki announced. He then laughed.

"Keni! You saver her!" Yachiru exclaimed. The pink haired girl broke ranks to go look at the now unconscious girl. She poked at Karin's face, "She looks like Ichigo." Yachiru giggled and continued to prod the helpless victim. Zaraki picked her up, before she caused another outburst from the girl. They returned to their place.

"This is very strange to say the least," The head captain exclaimed, "Captain Kuchiki what have you go there?"

"I took her zanpaktou from her," He offered it to the head captain.

"It stays in shikai form?" The man examined it, "It is very beautiful, doesn't the substitute soul-reaper's own sword stay in shikai form also?" There was a consensus of agreement from all who knew Ichigo. "Captain Kuchiki, you said this child has received training in the living world, is that correct?" Head Captain Yamamoto asked with out taking his eyes off the sword.

"Yes, Kisuke Urahara said she has been training for only a little more than a month. He also said that her sword manifested itself already in shikai form. It has never reverted to its original state since the girl pulled it from her body."

"What did you say captain?" Yamamoto looked very interested.

"According to Urahara...the girl left her physical body and broke her own sole chain in the process of retrieving the sword from her chest. The wound it created healed as soon as the sword had left her body," Kuchiki finished.

There were whispers all over the room. Everybody was looking at the little girl.

"That girl could be a very valuable asset to the soul society, or a very dangerous weapon in the wrong hands. She must not be allowed to leave the seirertei," Head Captain gave his order and the meeting was adjourned.

Karin was taken to division four by Captain Unohana. Kuchiki followed behind them intending to keep his promise and look after the girl while she stayed in the soul society. Unohana began by mending her injured leg it was much easier there than in the living world, with all the reshi in the atmosphere Karin's leg was better in no time, also her ribs, which were all but healed anyway.

Captain Unohana only wished she had a remedy for the girl's night terrors. The only cure was beyond their grasp. Karin almost never had a night free of the terrible dreams that haunted her.

* * *

><p>The next morning Captain Hitsugaya was surprised to have a message from a hell butterfly requesting his appearance at Kuchiki's house. He informed Rangiku that he had to take care of some business. Still feeling guilty she was on her best behavior, and actually doing her work (as she should have been anyway).<p>

He found himself sitting in a formal parlor. He was uncomfortably waiting for the much taller Captain Kuchiki. He entered and sat facing the white haired boy. Both had stony expressions that made them look as if they were related. Kuchiki handed Hitsugaya his phone. Toshiro was shocked but was careful not to let any emotion show on his face. The man only said, "Karin has been requesting to see you since she woke up."

_'Did he just call her, Karin? Why so familiar? Why is she staying here anyway, probably some proud sense of duty on Kuchiki's part,' _The youngest of the thirteen Captains thought this but the informality still troubled him a bit.

Kuchiki got up Hitsugaya followed him. He found Karin laying on a futon in a much larger room than she had been used to staying in. There Rukia was sitting with her holding her hand.

Rukia heard them come in she turned to greet the two captains, "Welcome Captain Hitsugaya." She smiled sweetly, "Karin has been asking to see you." She gave a knowing look at the boy. He ignored this but politely greeted her.

No sense in offending the Kuchiki's, after they had so kindly provided shelter for the woman he loved. He sat next to Karin across from Rukia. He took her hand and the girl weakly smiled at him. He expected at least Captain Kuchiki to leave if not both Kuchikis, but the man sat next to the young boy on a coushin, and Rukia stayed put. Karin didn't seem to mind, but it bothered Toshiru. '_This is really odd. Kuchiki's acting like she's his sister. Could he have decided to adopt her into the Kuchiki clan? That would go against the rules, but it was not like he hasn't done it before.'_

Toshiro tried to enjoy feeling her hand in his, but he felt like an over protective brother was hovering over him.

Karin was extremely tired. She dosed off. When she went to sleep it was the first time either Kuchiki had seen her look so peaceful in her short stay.

He sat with her longer than he should have, both chaperons staring as if he were some kind of pervert that wanted to take advantage of Karin the second they turned their backs.

He finally disengaged his hand from hers. Her troubled look resurfaced, but it was not near as bad as what he saw on her face the previous night. He had to return to his _other_ responsibilities. He felt the weight of his little phone in his kimono; he was at least relieved that Karin was going to be safe.

"Awe, look at how in love she is brother," Rukia said trying to be cute.

"It cannot be allowed for both of their sakes," The captain said very sternly, "Do not encourage it." He left Rukia with the poor little girl.

"It's alright Karin, we will find a way," Rukia was in favor of their relationship. She invited Captain Hitsugaya back several times when her brother was away. She did not leave the two unsupervised, but she was a little more discreet on those occasions. She was really only watching them for her own entertainment. '_...But at least I'm watching them,'_ she thought.

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><p>The Kuchiki household soon learned just how hard it would be to keep up any kidou barriers, or keep the troubled little girl bound by kidou. Karin almost effortlessly broke the strongest incantations. It could be a bit frustrating, but Rukia noticed that the nightmares did not surface on the nights following a visit from the squad 10 captain.<p>

Karin was pleased to have any visitors. She had recovered her strength quickly. Toshiro was of course her favorite and most loyal visitor, but Renji, Rangiku, the Lieutenant, third and fifth seat of squad 11 also visited her.

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><p>One day they were in the garden. Yachiru said to Karin, "Keni want's you in our squad. He said you could have Baldy's seat."<p>

"Hey what do you mean baldy? …And what do you mean she can have my seat!" The bald soul-reaper was pointing angrily at Karin. Karin burst with laughter at this, "Don't worry Ikkaku your seat is safe," She grinned, "For now anyway."

There was a brief pause as her words sunk in, "HEY! WHAT THE HELL'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" Yumichika had to restrain him. Karin and Yachiru were both rolling on the floor with laughter.

Karin was holding her side, "I'm sorry-I'm sorry, it's just you are so funny when you get mad like that, and it is so easy to make you mad."

Ikkaku drew his sword, just than Captain Kuchiki approached, "What are you doing drawing your sword. His face was cold, but his voice was livid."

"Captain Kuchiki, sir," Kirin answered him; "We were just joking. I am sorry sir." She bowed very humbly to the captain. He felt she was being perhaps to humble, but he did not correct her.

The man left them to go back to teasing Ikkaku. He was a favorite target because he took everything too seriously.

Karin noticed that Yachiru mentioned Keni a lot, she never met him. She knew he must be their captain, but was amazed that the little girl was so informal with him. Actually she was amazed such a little girl was a soul-reaper at all.

One day Yachiru had dragged him along with her. The man sat himself on the ground meditation style and looked into the girl's eyes. His crazy smile spread across his crazy face. She realized that the Captain was the same one that had stopped her emotional rampage that first night she was brought here.

"Nice to meet you Captain-" Karin realized she did not know his real name she was not about to call this scary looking guy Keni, "Um."

"It's Zaraki, Kenpachi Zaraki," He offered in his usual half crazed half bored voice.

"Thank-you for stopping me that night, Captain Zaraki." Karin tried to be friendly, but Kenpachi Zaraki was not exactly the personable type, but who among her new friends really was that personable?

"Call him Keni!" Yachiru commanded her, "Come on, Karin!"

Everybody was surprised that Yachiru actually called her by her real name, perhaps she had not thought up a good nickname yet, or maybe there was no name better than Karin.


	31. Brother

Did you miss me?

Ok I know you didn't miss me…maybe…but you missed this story I'm sure! :)

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><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

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><p><strong>Chapter 31: Big Brother<strong>

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><p>Karin had been in the Kuchiki household a little more than a week. She was very aware of the dark energy, and very aware of its effect on those around her. Every day at some point there was an alarm sounded. She'd feel strong energy in different directions during each event. That guy everybody talked about, that Captain Aizen. He apparently betrayed everybody and was now attacking the seireitei.<p>

Karin always worried about her friends, epically Toshiro. She was now on a first name basis with half the seated officers in the soul society. She had barely had time to herself since she had arrived. Each of the captains had been to see her at least once. The only captain she had not had any one on one alone time with was Toshiro. Captain Kuchiki would glare at him. If Kuchiki was not there Rukia was always hiding behind that big ugly plant in her room, or just behind the sakrua tree in the garden.

Yachiru brought Keni with her whenever she came now. Karin had started calling him Keni after Yachiru beat the crap out of her for being too formal. Captain Zaraki just laughed at the two of them rolling on the floor. He didn't object Karin calling him Keni.

'_That guy is strange. From what I heard he is a maniac, killing machine. Yet he keeps company with a bubbly ball of cuteness with cotton candy pink hair, who is equally crazy and dangerous,'_ Karin thought to herself. She was rubbing the large bruise she had gotten on her lower back simply for calling a man by his proper title.

Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Renji would pop in at least every couple of days. She met lots of other people. The Kuchiki estate had never had so many visitors in one week before.

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><p><em>'Well they aren't here today,'<em> nobody was, and strangely enough no one was there when she awoke that morning. Usually if Rukia or Captain Kuchiki were not there, there was a servant sitting by her side when she woke up.

Today there was nobody. She had an eerie feeling, _'maybe I'm dreaming?_' She did not need to pinch herself to know she felt pain. The large bruise on her back throbbed.

'B_ut in those dreams you felt pa—'_

'_NO-NO-NO-NO there were no dreams!_' She shook her head violently.

'_Karin you need to stop pushing those memories away_,' Shina Mitsu pleaded with her master, '_You'll never get better if you don't, and I miss seeing you on our soccer field.'_

"Please leave me alone Shina." Karin said to her inner self.

'_You are already pretty alone_,' The lady replied in unusually sarcastic voice.

It was true Karin had not been on the soccer field since that night that she had pushed back into the deep recesses of her mind. Suddenly her stomach growled. How long had she been sitting here talking to herself.

She slid the door to her room open. She missed the little room with the crushed wall; she needed to ask Urahara when that happened next time she saw him, _'if I ever get to see him again._' She gasped at the thought. She suddenly realized she missed the man terribly. She missed Yuzu, Ururu, Tessai, and even Jinta. She wondered if she was ever going back.

"Maybe I died. I may not have a body to go back to," She was talking as she slipped down the hallway and out to the garden. She had gotten so used to talking out loud to her inner self that her inner thoughts often slipped out involuntarily.

The Kuchiki estate was pretty big and she was allowed to wander almost everywhere, but she was being held captive here. She realized this immediately. Every morning she woke up bound in a kidou spell which she easily broke. She was not allowed to leave the Kuchiki grounds.

Captain Kuchiki had caught her trying to sneak out only the day before. He picked her up by her collar and took her to her room.

"He sat and watched me the rest of the day."

She felt strange about it He must be very busy, but she saw him at least once a day and he was often the person she awoke to see in the mornings. "He cannot have that much free time, and if he did surely he'd have better things to do with it than-"

"Who are you talking to, Karin?" She heard his smooth even toned voice.

She turned around to find Captain Kuchiki standing behind her, "Oh nobody sir. I'm sorry." She started to bow. He stopped her. Seeing as nobody else was around; he had decided to spend the day with the girl to keep her out of trouble.

"Please do not apologize you have done nothing wrong," He said in an unemotional voice. Karin was always on guard, but this man especially scared the hell out of her. She could not read him like Urahara, maybe it was just she chose not to read him.

Suddenly she tried peering into him. She sensed that he was just trying to be kind to her, but her look caused him to feel troubled also. She looked away from him sorry to have intruded on his inner-self when it seemed to be more about self-protection than about deception.

"Are you feeling well Karin?" Captain Kuchiki was concerned she may be ill. Before she could say anything they both heard her stomach give and angry growl. Kuchiki's mouth twitched into the closest thing that passed for a smile she had ever seen on his face, "Well, shall we have some breakfast?" She nodded shyly. She wondered why he was being so nice this morning (actually he had always been very kind to her). She shrugged it off and followed him.

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><p>They ate in a small informal parlor; the servants brought food in and placed it on the small table. Karin always felt so nervous around him, but eating was the worst. At least if Rukia was there it wasn't so bad. However she could be a little annoying always trying to break the ice between Karin and her brother.<p>

Karin was very hungry, but she was eating so carefully she really could not finish her food before her plate was taken and something else was placed there. _'Why does everything have to be so elaborate?'_

"Are you sure you are feeling well," The captain looked concerned. This was strange to her. He rarely spoke unless it was absolutely necessary.

"I-I'm fine. I'm sorry sir," She was very nervous.

"Please do not apologize. You have nothing to feel sorry for," Captain Kuchiki smiled softly, Karin found herself smiling back. Then he did something that was very shocking to her. He gently placed his delicate hand on her small head. It felt warm and comforting. Again she surprised herself by crying. She was in shock, and didn't even realize she launched herself at him and was crying into his chest. When the shock finally wore off, she pulled herself away she fell on her face and apologized repeatedly. The man put a hand on each shoulder and lifted her up.

"Please do not do that anymore. While you are here you are a Kuchiki, You should not bow like a servant to your brother."

"Karin Kuchiki?" She was looking at him incredulously. She sniffed the last of her tears and rubbed her face. He chuckled, it was a mild chuckle, but yeah she knew she heard the man with the stony face laughing.

"You can keep your name, this is more of an informal arrangement," His stony look was back but his eyes looked happy. She felt better and began eating like she was back home in her own kitchen, _'Why does that thought make me sad.'_

'_Because you miss your father the most_,' Shina liked pointing out things that annoyed Karin.

'_Would you shut up?'_

Shina laughed.

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><p>Karin asked the man if she could ever leave to explore the seireitei, "I would really like to see more of it I have not really been anywhere since I arrived here."<p>

"I'm sorry the seireitei is a very big place and not all of the places may be safe for you. I promised that I would ensure your safety." He rested a kind hand on her shoulder. She felt unsatisfied with that answer, but she knew there would be no negotiations, and no sneaking out.

The man was not good at informal conversations but he did his best to be good company for the girl. They visited until late into the afternoon when the alarm was sounded. Kuchiki called a servant to stay with the girl. He left as soon as he was sure she was not alone.

When the dark energy had subsided Karin decided the only thing for her to do was take a nap. She went to her room followed by the servant. She lay down and tried to pretend the young looking woman was not there.

Karin awoke and it was dark. Again nobody was with her. She got up and went to the garden. She sat in the soft grass and looked at the stars, a word passed her lips, "Toshiro." Her eyes were moist. He had not been to see her for almost three days now. She knew he was busy, but it was not like him to not even check in with her.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was avoiding going. It hurt to be so close to her and not to be able to embrace her and kiss her. She would get that sad look on her face and his pulse would quicken. He'd feel himself leaning forward. Than someone would clear their throat, or someone else would giggle.<p>

It was so very aggravating, knowing she was here. He had not eaten in the last two days. Rangiku noticed he worked through his lunch.

"Haven't you gone to see the girl today?" Rangiku asked, annoyed at him, "GO! TAKE YOUR BREAK AND BE WITH HER!"

"Be with her?" He looked annoyed as well, "Not like she is ever alone!" He had forgotten himself he was shouting at his lieutenant, "I can't even touch her! Kuchiki won't let me so much as hold her hand anymore!"

He realized what he had just screamed. He felt as if he had just accidentally announced his deepest darkest secret to the whole seireitei. He wanted Karin all to himself. He wanted to be with her and only her. Everybody else was just pissing him off right then. He stormed out of the office, "I'm taking the rest of the day off!" he slammed the door too hard and a stack of papers that was carelessly perched at the edge of Rangiku's desk slipped into the floor.

Toshiro walked along angrily. In the corridor he passed some of his subordinates that looked as if they wanted to ask him something, but seeing the state he was in they backed against the wall. He looked like an angry cobra about to strike the first thing he saw. They let him pass and went to the Lieutenant to get help with whatever it was they wanted.

He went home and took a nap. He woke to the sound of the alarm. This time it was near division six. "Oh god, I hope they are not too close to her. He went to the battle field. This time there were more menos and even some arrancar. The monsters were trying to break through the wall of the seireitei. Captain Hitsugaya launched himself at one of them. He felt her presence to close to the battlefield. He got distracted. The monster knocked him to the ground.

'_Pay attention you bastard. Screw up out here than they will be able to get in there!_' He found that his little pep talk worked for him he regained control.

After the battle he realized how stupid it was to deprive himself of what little contact he had with her. He went to visit the Kuchiki estate. He found that Karin was sleeping. He stayed for a while, but Byakuya's glares finally put him over the edge. He said his goodbyes.

* * *

><p>Captain needed to work through his frustration so he left the seireitei and went deep into the forest. He released his bankai and began destroying trees, "Just five minutes alone! Just one kiss, just one embrace!" He was yelling at the trees as if it were their fault that his romance was being squelched.<p> 


	32. Finding and Losing

**Watching Karin**

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for a lemon I've left it in. It was a controversy when I wrote it. They are way too young to be doing what they are doing but…well they are kids with hormones and unsupervised at that. It's not graphic and sex is almost just implied. But it happened and to take it out means I would need to drastically change later chapters. If the idea that two pre-teen children engage in sexual behavior is upsetting to you then you may want to skip over this chapter…actually you probably have not read up to this point.

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><p><strong>Chapter 32: Finding and Losing<strong>

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><p>Karin still in the garden; felt a strong, horribly strong power. It was not far off from the Kuchiki estate. The alarm sounded. Rukia came to fetch her. "Come on Karin that attack came from inside the seireitei. We need to get you somewhere safe," The older girl grabbed her hand and dragged her inside the house, "My brother has gone to fight. He asked me to protect you, OK?"<p>

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><p>Toshiro stopped his rampage, "Espada? No but very powerful!" He rushed back. The fight broke out in division six not far from Kuchiki's house. He rushed back, "Karin! Hold on!"<p>

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><p>Rukia thought to put a kidou barrier up around the house to hide Karin. Karin was helping her, but her formal training had not progressed far. She had been getting by on raw talent and now the pressure of getting her incantations right caused her to miss a beat and screw up the spell, "Damn!"<p>

"Its fine," Rukia smiled and took over…But it wasn't fine. A large silver haired arrancar crashed through the roof and spotted Rukia. He went for the Kill.

Karin without thinking drew her sword, "Blinding light of virtue shine down from the heavens!" She screamed the order. The room lit up, it was so bright that it hurt to look at it. Rukia was unhurt and the arrancar seemed temporarily blinded. They were both fine, and Karin grabbed Rukia's hand and ran out the door.

The thing was crashing through the walls screaming, "Come back here you bitches! I'll kill you." He crashed through the back wall of the Kuchiki home.

"Shine!" Karin screamed again. She was pointing her zanpaktou at the thing's face. A powerful blast of spirit energy hit it directly on. His face was burning. He screamed and ran right at Karin. She tried to doge, but was not quick enough. It tackled her. Rukia tried to attack. The thing deflected her attacks with its own zanpaktou. Captain Kuchiki flash stepped toward the thing that was strangling Ichigo's little sister. The girl was fighting to stay alive. She stabbed at the things arm with her sword. It only glanced off the things tough skin.

"Senbonzakura, scatter," he said calmly. The thing tried to shield it's self with the girl's body. The torrent of blossoms diverged and enveloped the Monster leaving only the thing's hand and the girl's limp body exposed. It dropped her. But it was not over yet its energy spiked and millions of particles flew in every direction. Captain had already gathered the girl's body and placed Karin in his sister's arms. He stood between it and the two women. The thing came at him again. Byakuya Kuchiki repeated his order, "Scatter". The thing was already covered with blood and half dead, but it suddenly released its own Bankai. Its shell became like steel and it grinned at him, "Try cutting me now!"

The particles encircled him again but it blew them away. The arrancar launched at Kuchiki. The captain called his blade back to deflect the attack. He was pinned and couldn't move without exposing the two women.

Karin in a raspy voice again commanded her sword, "Blinding light of virtue shine down from the heavens, Shina Mitsu." The world went white. Still the three soul-reapers could see everything. The arrancar was blind again.

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><p>Captain Hitsugaya hated his stupidity, "How could I leave the seireitei at a time like this?" He scolded himself; he was too worried to actually curse himself. Suddenly the sky filled with white light. He had a suspicion that <em>she <em>had something to do with it. He went toward the light.

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><p>Karin's tactic allowed Rukia enough time to escape with her in tow. As they ran Karin thought she must be dazed. She saw about a thousand swords in the sky surrounding the battle. Rukia was running with the girl in her arms. Captain Hitsugaya spotted them.<p>

"Is she hurt?" The surface of his icy demeanor had cracked. His worry was ovbious.

"She'll be fine," Rukia looked back worried about her brother, "H-here take her to the medical ward. I have to check on my brother."

"No! I'll check. You get her safely away from here!" He ordered.

Rukia nodded, Hitsugaya and she went in opposite directions.

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><p>Hitsugaya found Kuchiki calmly fighting with a very odd looking hollow. It was silver in color and its hide seemed to be made of steel. He was sending swords at the enemy but they were deflected, "Your sister is taking Karin for medical attention."<p>

Kuchiki didn't acknowledge. He continued his onslaught. The hide was being scratched, but not breaking. The arrancar was unable to move however.

Then there was another dark energy. A gaping hole was ripped in the sky out stepped an Espada of medium height narrowly built. He had black hair, green eyes and an unemotional, calculating face. He seemed to be looking for something. Toshiro recognized him, _'That's Aizen's personal errand boy, what was his name? Hell If I care he's likely here to retrieve something.'_

"Or someone," The captain gasped as his thoughts turned to two practically defenseless woman running from the battle field at that very moment.

"Captain! That one's just a distraction! That new one is the one we should worry about. Toshiro failed to see the red blast of energy headed his way. He took a direct hit from a cero. The green eyed hollow disappeared. He was in search of some strange energy it had been brought here to the soul society from the living world, and Aizen wanted to get his hands on it.

Toshiro was embedded in the stone wall. He took a second to recover. He sensed the thing was headed toward the fourth district, "No." He removed himself and flash stepped to where he thought Rukia and Karin might be.

He found them safe. Karin was awake and they were treating her wounds.

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><p>The espada couldn't find what he was looking for; '<em>They must be keeping it well hidden.' <em>He was instructed to return even without it, but he left something behind. The two espada left quickly.

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><p>"Captain, what's wrong?" Rukia looked at him, "Is Byakuya safe?"<p>

"He was fine last I saw him. That first one was a distraction, I think."

The three of them were alone. Karin got up and went to him, "Toshiro! You're bleeding. He hadn't noticed. He was bleeding from the mouth. He felt a loose tooth. He pulled it out, "I must have knocked it loose when I hit that wall." He chucked it away.

Karin wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He finally got his wish and Rukia had even left to go look for her brother.

"You jerk! How come you've not been to see me?" She suddenly pinched his arm really hard.

"Ouch!" He rubbed his arm. She knocked him to the floor and began kissing him. He let her melt into his arms as they lay on the cold hard floor of the clinic. "I've been going insane with you so close and not being able to touch you," He kissed back. Her mouth parted a bit. He took it as an invitation and slid his tongue in her mouth.

They forgot that they were in a very public place until a low level officer from division four came in to mop the floor and found their bodies entangled behind a hospital bed. The boy shrieked and ran out.

The two of them blushed and he helped her slip out a window. They didn't care about the risks they were taking, he wanted her...And for the first time she felt the same way. He took her to his room.

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><p>In the privacy of his quarters they continued the make-out session. She felt his hands everywhere on her body. She felt a pressure building between her legs, and she moaned loudly. He began to untie her belt and remove her kimono. She helped him off with his.<p>

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><p>In the morning she found herself underneath an extremely happy looking, sleeping Captain Hitsugaya. She shivered. Neither of them had any clothing on, save the little bit of gold glinting on her neck. She moved to slide out from under him he stopped her and began kissing her neck. "Don't go," He begged.<p>

"When Captain Kuchiki finds I'm not in the medical ward he is not going to be happy," She sounded worried, but she could not stop him. She felt that same sensation in her loins. He was on her again. She was about to let him take her once more, "Ichigo's not going to be happy either." At this statement the moment of passion subsided. Karin was a little disappointed, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything."

She kissed his neck, but he suddenly felt a glare on the back of his head. Karin screamed and grabbed for one of the discarded kimonos to cover herself. Captain Kuchiki looking unemotionally at the pair, "Captain Hitsugaya this cannot be allowed."

"No, why?" Karin demanded, "I love him!" She surprised both captains by screaming at Kuchiki. She was angry that he had intruded and very angry that he was telling the man she loved that they could not be together.

"It is against the law," Kuchiki tried to explain.

Again Karin surprised everybody in the room, "To what, to love a living human? How do I even know I have a body anymore? I'd give my body up for him, everything and everybody I know and love, I'd give up for _**him**_," She was rapping herself in the kimono she stalked toward the man, "I can't control how I feel! I will face my own doom head on it if means I can be with him!" Karin's words were passionate and true she meant every one of them. She had tears of rage in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Karin," He truly did sound regretful. Byakuya rammed the hilt of his sword into her stomach and she passed out. He picked the girl up. He carried her out silently.

Toshiro was left in his bed watching the only person in existence that he cared more for than Momo, being carried away. He threw his robes on and ran after them.

"Stop! Captain Kuchiki, Please put her down," He was surprised to hear the quacking in his voice, "Please, I love her I can't let her go."

Kuchiki was faced with a tough decision. He knew that letting them continue the romance was dangerous for them and the seireitei. He also knew there were much greater threats. His heart knew what it was like to risk everything for love, and it knew the pain of losing that love.

He stopped, but didn't look back, "I promised to protect this girl. I am afraid that breaking her heart is the only way to keep her safe. I am sorry for both of you." He disappeared with the girl.

Toshiro fell in the dirt. His face was ashy grey. He couldn't say a single word. He felt like he was choking.

'_I had her-I __**had**__ her!_' The rage in him was building, but he couldn't do anything. He wanted so badly to scream. The only thing that came out was an anguished sob.


	33. Rumors

**Watching Karin**

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

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><p><strong>Chapter 33: Rumors<strong>

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><p>The Kuchiki estate was going to have to be repaired the hollow had nearly leveled the house. Byakuya took Karin to the division six quarters. She had her own room it was right between Renji's room and the room the captain kept for such occasions as this. She was being watched closely. When neither of the Kuchiki's was around one of the seated officers was with her.<p>

Karin was still very angry and made it difficult for anyone who was supposed to be watching her. It had been two days since the attack and she had run away and had to be caught about 10 times. Kidou did not work to keep her locked up, and she had already busted the door to her room down. They just kept it propped up to allow her at least the illusion of privacy. There was a guard was posted on her every second of the day.

She tried to leave by the window only to find another officer standing there waiting for her. He escorted her back to her room and returned to the back. 'Course she slipped out again, before he got back to his post, and ran off.

Karin had no idea where the tenth division was. She tried to find Toshiro's spirit ribbon, but there were just too many.

Her nightmares returned and they were worse. She would rage in her sleep. They actually had to take shifts to keep the barrier up. It felt like she could blow up half of division six.

* * *

><p>In some dark alley in the seireitei a small harmless looking orb ticked to life.<p>

* * *

><p>Toshiro was not well. He couldn't concentrate on anything. He rarely spoke, generally he'd just grunted angrily at anyone who dared to look at him. He completely ignored Rangiku and let her do whatever she wanted.<p>

At first she took advantage of this, but when she showed up drunk three days in a row, and he didn't scold her (he didn't so much as acknowledge her existence) she got worried.

"Captain, what's wrong with you? You still mad about the other day?" She poked him in the head. He grunted and squeezed the brush he was holding too hard. It snapped.

Rangiku decided to leave him alone, if not for his sake than for hers.

He didn't go home that night he filled out forms until he fell asleep on the last one. When Rangiku came in the next morning there he was face down in a pile of unfinished papers.

She jabbed him. He jolted up with a paper stuck on his head. He peeled it off. There were ink marks on his forehead. He didn't say a thing but resumed the previous night's work. He didn't even notice that there had been no attacks in the last few days. It seemed that everybody had let their guard slip a little.

* * *

><p>Karin was running like a fugitive. She fought hard to suppress her spiritual presence. It was harder in the soul society for some reason. She heard guards running after her. She found a door she didn't care where it went she tried it. It was unlocked. She found herself facing a staircase. She shrugged and started climbing. She made it to the roof of some building. She decided to try to find him again, but she let out a little too much of her spirit.<p>

Byakuya was on the roof behind her. He did not say a word but picked her up; she tried to fight back but he was physically stronger than her and much more in control of his spirit than she was of hers.

She sensed that he was angry, though his face was passive to the point of looking serene. She did not care right than she was angry too. She went for her zanpaktou. He sensed her intention and drew it from her scabbard, "I'm sorry Karin I can't let you have her right now."

* * *

><p>'<em>He's right you need to calm down and behave<em>,' Shina suddenly spoke up. Karin had been ignoring her zanpakto a lot lately so the woman stopped speaking to her all together. Even Shina Mitsu had had enough of her foolishness.

'**Stay out of this Shina!'**

'_If you want me to remain with you than you will listen to reason!'_ Shina yelled at her.

Karin gasped audibly. Kuchiki stopped and looked at her. She did not know if he were concerned or just thought she was going to apologize. She had not planned on it. She ignored the man that was holding her.

'_**Shina?'**_

'_You said you would give everything up for him_,' Shina continued, _'Your friends, and family…me?'_

'_Shina, I-I didn't think,' _Karin blinked back her tears.

'_Exactly!'_

'_But I,_' Karin was ready to cry.

'_But what? You would abandon your family for him? Are you ready to give up everything, your life?'_ Shina was waiting, Karin knew she must respond.

'_Shina I love him enough to give my life for him, but I am sorry I did not mean to imply that I did not love my family or you. I love you all, but I need him so much. I'm so scared right now. He makes things feel right,'_ Karin's heart panged. She was worried that The Captain would sense she was upset. She did not want pity right than, _'Shina?'_

Shina did not respond to her. Karin hoped that she was just thinking.

* * *

><p>Karin was placed in her room and she suddenly felt too tired to resist captivity. She tried to talk to Shina, but the golden lady would not respond to her. Karin hoped she was just leaving her to think about what had been said.<p>

Karin did think about it she was remorseful, but she couldn't take back what she had said. Karin got up and went to the door. She asked the guard if she could speak to the captain, "if he is not busy."

He sent the captain a message. Less than five minutes passed. Karin waited, seated at a small table. She stood When the door opened and he entered she bowed politely,

"Captain Kuchiki, I am sorry that I have run off. I understand you are only trying to protect me. I promise to not try that again. Please understand I am still angry, I still feel the same about _**him**_. However, you and Rukia have been very kind to me and I am grateful for that."

He nodded curtly. She thought he was going to leave, but then he put his hand on her head gently and she felt sorrow in the touch, sorrow for her. She felt anguish, that was not for her, there too. She looked up at him she smiled sadly in understanding.

When he left she felt the pull of exhaustion dragging her down. She laid in her futon and sleep hit her instantly. She was quiet for a long time.

* * *

><p>Nobody noticed the dark energy pulsing not far from the sixth division barracks. It was too weak. Like a mouse sized hollow was roaming the alleyways.<p>

* * *

><p>Toshiro overheard the rumors of the Kurosaki girl, "...<em><strong>Apparently<strong>_ she is an unruly hellion. Captain Kuchiki has kindly put the _brat_ up at his estate, well now in the barracks," everybody knew about the fight that destroyed Kuchiki's house, "_**Apparently**_ she has been nothing but trouble since they took her in. Poor Captain Kuchiki's sense of duty won't allow him to turn the little monster out."

Toshiro was forced to hold his tongue but this made him very angry. He was angry with her too. Running away is very dangerous, the seireitei is not Karakura Town she is liable to get lost, or caught by the wrong person.

There was an unspoken understanding between Kuchiki and Hitsugaya that he stay out of division six if he valued his life. He would risk his life, _'No I'd give up my life for her, but dying dishonorably and pointlessly would do her no good.'_

He knew that Byakuya Kuchiki could handle the situation, "At least she is safe...even if I can't see her."

* * *

><p>He was walking home late that night after he had caught up on paper work. Not eating or sleeping gives you lots of free time to finish all that back dated paperwork.<p>

He felt Karin's energy, clear over here. It's not close. That is coming from division six, but it was strong. Very strong. Her power never felt this overwhelming. Suddenly the intruder alarm sounded, but almost as quickly it was called off as a false alarm.

Karin was not awake, but she was attacking the wall of her room ferociously with her zanpaktou. She had broken through three binding spells already. The containment spell was not going to hold. Six officers including Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai were trying to keep the barrier up. She was screaming something incoherent. Her power spiked destroying the barrier the building and knocking all the soul reapers back about ten feet.

Something whizzed past the lieutenant's head as he was picking himself up off the ground. He felt it but did not see it. It went in closer to her and exploded.

* * *

><p>"I've lost signal, Captain Aizen," a cold voice explained.<p>

"That's fine we have gathered enough information to act," Captain Aizen already had a powerful healer. Now he was thinking about strengthening his offense, "Let's wait until things have settled down a bit." He smiled evilly.

"Well I can't argue. I don't want to go all that way just to get blown up by a little girl." Gin chuckled at the thought, he knew he'd not be going but it was still a strange thought, "How are we going to restrain that girl anyway?"

"Leverage," Aizen said simply.

* * *

><p>Karin woke up not remembering a thing. She found herself in the medical ward again she had been physically restrained. Captain Kuchiki was there. Toshiro was there too. Since this was neutral ground Kuchiki could not really do anything. Besides Karin kept saying one name, in her sleep, over and over, "Toshiro."<p>

The fourth squad officers thought she was a very strange girl. There were rumors that she single handedly destroyed the sixth division barracks. Then there was that strange power and the false alarm. They knew this weird being must be behind those events too.

"Good morning," she tried to sit up, she found that she was physically tied to the bed, "What's going on? Please let me up!" She was struggling. Neither man got up to help her.

Toshiro spoke, "I'm sorry head captain Yamamoto ordered that you be restrained by any means necessary. For the seireitei's safety, and your own."

"No!" She continued to struggle. He went to her and put a cool hand on her forehead.

"It is just a precaution, after last night's outburst there are concerns about your body being able to contain so much power. You nearly killed six men last night," He did not mention who the men were. His eyes were sad.

"No," She stopped fighting, "I don't remember."

"Your body had suffered too, you very nearly died," He held her hand and sat next to her. Kuchiki did not want him there, but Karin was much calmer than he had seen her in days. Captain Hitsugaya would not try anything foolish, not with her injured like she is.

Toshiro sat with her. There were whispers flying around about this strange behavior, "It's so weird. Captain Ice cube has been visiting with that Kurosaki girl. He has been there three days in a row." Other people visited, but he stayed with her. As long as he stayed with her there were no nightmares and no fits. Soon she was getting well and her restraints were removed.

It was decided that she needed a devic

* * *

><p>e to absorb her excess energy, like Captain Zaraki's eye patch. She was given a bracelet made of the same material. It latched onto her arm. It took some getting used to, it felt alive. It seemed to bite her for a little while than it settled comfortably on her arm.<p>

The atmosphere seemed to relax a little. Kuchiki allowed Captain Hitsugaya to visit Karin. It seemed like she were losing her sanity when he was not near her. They were watched closely, but Toshiro would have behaved himself anyway.

Karin was the one to worry about. She initiated all contact and he would have to limit her touch to his hands. It was very hard for him, but she needed him to be with her even if they could not be _together_.

Everything was quiet. Karin was calm, and safe.


	34. Day of Rest

**Watching Karin**

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

_I know that Rukia and Renji both should have gone with Ichigo to Hueco Mundo a while ago but at the point I had written this I was still in this arc of the anime. So I didn't realize I had drifted this far away from the plot. But I think it doesn't harm the story in any way._

_I could ask if there are any complaints about this glaring error but the story is already pre-written and one thing I have learned with fan fiction is that you just have to go where the story leads you._

_Karin needed a strong female influence. She may be a tom boy but she still is a girl…A girl that is always surrounded by and influenced by men. Rukia was an anchor for the girl when she needed a woman to help guide her. (I know Rukia isn't the most mature person in this series…but she is basically a morally strong and caring individual. Or at least I perceived her as such)_

_As for Renji…well I just get a kick out of torturing him. ;)_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 34: Day of Rest<strong>

* * *

><p>It was a mildly chilly day in the seireitei. There had been little to no hollow activity. Nerves were on edge.<p>

Toshiro found himself walking to division six once again. He entered the barracks only to hear Renji Abarai exclaim, "DAMN IT!" He found the Lieutenant playing, having his ass handed to him at poker, with Karin.

"Your cookie…give it to me," Karin said with a perfectly serious expression on her face. They were sitting around a table.

"That's-that's my last cookie!" He was drunk. Upset to have lost all of his cookies, he threw the little round baked good at her. She caught it midair and took a big bite out of it. Karin had a stack of cookies that Toshiro recognized were from the living world. He saw the discarded blue and white packaging, there were ten black and white disks stacked next to Karin's elbow.

Renji slammed his head into the table tears running down his face. The tower of cookies fell and one rolled to the floor.

"Grow up you big baby!" Karin kicked him under the table, "Here." Karin offered Captain Hitsugaya a chocolate cookie. Renji glared from his position at the table.

He waved it off, "I don't care for sweets, remember?" Hitsugaya looked at her then back at the forlorn lieutenant, then back at her.

"Ugh, fine," She pushed all the cookies back at him, "Don't say I never did anything for you, besides these go much better with milk than water, _**or sake**_," Renji seemed to have had his fill of both cookies and sake.

"Want me to deal you in?" She looked devilishly at him.

"Sure, but no more gambling," He looked at the redheaded man still lying on the table not crying anymore. Renji sat up.

"Come on captain a little gambling never hurt anybody," He said this as if the last five minutes had never happened, "…But she cheats!" He pointed at Karin as if she were not the only she in the room.

"That's just the sake talking ignore him."

Toshiro new she did, in fact, cheat at cards. She was really good at it too. He smiled his halfcocked smile.

She dealt the cards; of course, she had a full house. She kept her poker face. However, Toshiro had the best poker face of the three.

Renji just got mad and slammed his hand on the table, "Bottom dealing little brat!"

Toshiro and Karin exchanged amused looks.

"What have you got?" Karin asked.

"You first," His eyes narrow in classic western style.

"Full house, Queens and Kings," She smugly laid her cards on the table, "Beat that."

His smile faltered for a second, just a second, "I've only got..." He was playing for full dramatic effect, "_**four Aces**_." He smoothly turned his cars over in one gesture like a magician playing a trick.

"What! I know I dealt you-"

"What did you deal me?"

He reached in his sleeve and pulled out a 3, jack, 7, a queen, and a joker, "That joker should not have even been in the deck."

Karin often regretted teaching poker to the small captain. He was shrewd. …But when she got a care package from the living world (she found a deck of playing cards, some cookies and candy and notes written from Ururu, Tessai, a messy scrawl from Jinta, and even Urahara had written her a brief message) _'I really miss them.'_ She had to show them some games. Renji seemed to like poker, but he was too short tempered to play well.

"How could you have gotten those aces? I only have one deck?" The girl looked at him accusingly.

He produced a duplicate deck, "I asked Urahara if I could have some cards to practice with." He demonstrated his dexterity with the cards shuffling and dealing, "I call next game, I want to play gin." Hearing that word was weird. Around here it happened to be the same name as one of the traitors who left with Aizen, but it was Toshiro favorite game because it took patience, something his dark haired counterpart had little of.

Renji hated gin, both the game and the person. So he set back and watched the two of them play. He was going to enjoy that, bottom dealing (you fill in the blank), go down. Toshiro had control of the game but he wouldn't cheat so Karin at least had a fighting chance.

He dealt. He kept a close eye on her hands the whole game, somehow managing to keep tabs on his own hand, "GIN!" He yelled. He laid out three fives and four jacks.

"Hey I was playing by suits," She tried to protest.

"Nobody called it," Toshiro was smiling—no grinning, Renji was amazed.

"Let's go again! This time I call suits," Karin commanded loudly.

"Suits yourself," Toshiro said in an almost comical manner (almost).

"That was lame," Karin stuck her tongue out at him.

Renji was just astonished. Did the great prince of ICE and BOREDOM just crack a joke? Not just any joke, A really, really bad joke. Renji couldn't help himself; the sake had taken away what inhibitions he had. He cackled and fell back clutching his sides.

"You two-you bring out the worst in each other you know that? …And that was the worst joke I have ever heard, Captain," He sort of tacked on the title as an afterthought. He sighed and wiped away tears, "…And you bring out the best in each other too." The two of them blushed at that last statement.

"Hey Renji you want to play next round I was thinking of old maid?" Karin hadn't taught them that one yet. They played until way too late in the evening. Renji always seemed to end up with the old maid. It didn't help that he glared at that particular card the whole game.

Byakuya had to send the boys packing at about a quarter to midnight. Renji stumbled drunkenly to his quarters. Hitsugaya went to his district. Karin slept peacefully. All was well.

* * *

><p>'<em>No nightmares last night?' <em>Shina Mitsu suddenly asked the girl in the morning.

"No…so are we talking again?" She said to her zanpakto.

'_Well what do you think?'_ The woman was trying to sound impatient, but Karin knew she was glad to be back on speaking terms with her master.

"I've missed you Shina, I am very sorry I acted so stupid."

'_I'm sorry you acted stupid,__ too,'_ Shina chuckled at the girl.

"I was worried that you hated me," Karin almost whispered. There was an obvious tinge of hurt on her voice.

Perhaps the spirit of her sword did feel a touch guilty,_ 'Oh, of course not. Friends fight, than they make up._'

"Shina I…"

"Who are you talking to Karin?" Rukia asked her.

"Oh, was I saying that stuff out loud? I was talking to Shina," Karin blushed. Rukia nodded. Everybody was on a casual first name basis with Karin's sword. She was always talked about as if she were a real person. …To Karin she was a real person.

"You want to take a walk?" Rukia asked. Karin nodded. Any chance to leave her prison cell was welcome.

They walked along in silence. Rukia had been pretty busy with work since the night of that last attack. She wanted to have a heart to heart with the girl, but whenever she was in Karin's room there was always a man in there to get in the way.

They walked to a small informal garden placed in the middle of division six. It was very pretty. Rukia and Karin sat and talked.

"Karin?"

"Yes Rukia?"

"What- what happened between you and Captain Hitsugaya that night? We lost you two. I was so worried." Rukia looked into the girl's eyes. Karin looked away blushing, "I thought so." She said this very sadly.

"I love him," Karin was defending her decision, "He would not force me to do that! He had p;enty of chances to do that but he was to strong."

"I know, but you-you're just a child," Rukia wanted to yell at her, but she knew if she were in Karin's shoes alone with the one she loved, and he actually had any backbone. She would have given in to temptation.

Karin sighed, "I only ever want to be with him." She hugged her knees and looked at the sky.

"Does he feel the same?"

"I think so," She did look worried, but there was no need.

"Soul mates?" Rukia said to herself.

"What?"

"Oh nothing, Just thinking," Rukia mumbled, _'…And planning on confronting the captain.' _Rukia gave the girl a sisterly hug, _'You're too young for this stuff.'_

"Let's go back and get some breakfast I'm _**starving,**_" Rukia took her back they ate and she left just as one of the seated officers came to sit with the girl.

* * *

><p><em>'They are guarding her like she is a treasure, or something dangerous,'<em> The woman pondered her friend's little sister. Rukia was of course not there the night her brother brought the girl to the soul society, but she was not stupid.

"That girl could put her brother to shame, with her raw power." Actually Rukia just sensed that Karin's power had been tapped and somebody forgot to plug up the hole. Now flow was too strong to be blocked off. No that could not be true Karin controlled her power most of the time. "…Just when she had those bad dreams," Rukia worried for the girl's safety.

* * *

><p>Toshiro was headed to see Karin, and Rukia was on her way to confront him. They bumped into each other. She glared him into a corner, "Captain Hitsugaya, I was coming to look for you. You've saved me a walk."<p>

"Hello Rukia," He looked scared, more like crap in his kimono terrified.

"Captain, let's get one thing clear. That girl, yes she is just a girl, is very vulnerable right now. You have not been taking advantage of that vulnerability, HAVE YOU?" Rukia slammed an angry fist into the wall next to his white hair. They both heard the cracks forming.

'_Doesn't that hurt your hand?' _He asked in his mind. He swallowed thickly and opened his mouth to answer, "I-I had no intention of taking advantage of her."

"So you are willing to marry her? She'll be needing a husband now!" Rukia let the lie hang in the air so he could grab onto it.

His eyes got wide with horror, "She's-?"

Rukia was enjoying watching him squirm, "Well I guess you are just as big a creep as I thought. Don't worry we will find her a husband. There are plenty of men in Byakuya's division more than willing to take your leftovers." She left him hanging and turned as if to leave.

"What the hell, NO!" He stopped her, "If any other man lays one hand on her like that I WILL KILL HIM!"

"You forget yourself, Captain," Rukia pulled her line and reeled him in, "You have no claim over her. Just because you stole her innocence doesn't mean you own her!"

"Stole?" He looked like a fish on dry land, white faced and gasping for oxygen. She had taken him to the ringers without even working up a sweat, "I don't understand how this could have happened?" He looked like he was going to faint. Rukia debated whether to let him off the hook or not. She decided to drag him to see Karin and let her give him the good news.

"Come on little man," He was too far in shock to get angry at the jibe. Rukia took him by the sleeve. She looked like a scolding mother right then. Hitsugaya mindlessly followed her.

* * *

><p>Karin was sitting at the table after breakfast. Rukia excused herself distractedly. There was a mischievous grin on her face that boded no good for whoever she was going to see.<p>

She felt tired, so she lounged on her little futon. Suddenly there was a sharp rap on her broken door.

"Come in," she said without getting up she had gotten used to the formalities her guards insisted upon.

He went to her, "Are you alright? She rolled over and looked across her shoulder at him."

Rukia asked if the guard could give them some privacy, and looked at him like no was not an option.

"I'm fine I was just trying to take a nap."

"Ok you need your rest," He covered her with the blanket gently, "but why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Now she was over on her back resting on her elbows. She saw Rukia drinking in the scene.

Hitsugaya's hand went to her stomach. He looked at her face.

"No-no-no! What did you tell him Rukia!"

"You're not?" he almost looked disappointed. He loved her dearly and the thought that she may have carried the product of their love had been overwhelming if not unwelcome. He was ready to love and nurture the baby, which he was now realizing was a ploy to get him to act the fool.

The two of them glared at Rukia. She shrugged, "I was just trying to prove a point to our young captain here."

She walked out and left them alone, _'Let's see him trying **that** with her again anytime soon.'_ She felt proud of her handy work. The two souls left in the room were staring at where she had been, mouths agape.


	35. When Time Stops

**Watching Karin**

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for disturbing content

This chapter takes us back to the living world for a brief interlude.

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><p><strong>Chapter 35: When Time Stops<strong>

* * *

><p>Kisuke Urahara was reading his newspaper and sipping hot coffee, one chilly Friday morning, when Yuzu Kurosaki busted into his shop.<p>

"Where is my sister!" She demanded of the man behind the newspaper. She was angry, uncharacteristically so, "WHERE IS SHE! I know you are hiding her. She has not been to school, she's never here. I know about that place! Down there," indicating the secret training ground "Is she there!"

Urahara swore he felt just the slightest spiritual pressure coming from the girl.

'_Not this one too,'_ He sighed, "I'm sorry Miss Kurosaki. I had to send her away. It was purely for her own safety." The man put his paper down.

"Liar!" Yuzu screamed through her tears, "She's not the only kid that has disappeared. Lots of my friends have not been to school. Souta Akiyama, that boy that was being so mean to Karin, he's-he's d-dead!" Kisuke was dumbstruck.

"He killed himself! He-he left a note in my desk. It was for Karin," She looked with depths of hate in her eyes that were almost impossible.

"Do you still have this note?" Urahara was trying to sound calm and actually failing.

"Yes I didn't show it to the teacher; **even though I should have!**" Yuzu still screaming, "I didn't show it to Dad either! He's been acting weird, like he doesn't even care that Karin is gone!" Yuzu shoved the hateful thing into the man's hands.

Jinta, having heard Yuzu screaming came running in. Yuzu did not speak to him but just glared at him. It hurt him deeply. He backed out of the room and ran.

Urahara carefully unfolded the already open and tear-stained letter. It was Yuzu's tears ofcourse. Souta har no reason to cry he was thrilled at the thought of contacting his beloved plum blossom.

* * *

><p><em>Hey Bitch!<em>

_I know you aren't here anymore! You have gone with the monsters or those weird guys in the black robes. Yeah I can see them too. I'm going to come for you! I finally realized how I'm going to do it to, but that is for later. Right now is for us. Your whiny bitch of a sister can get this letter to you, I know it! I'm going to hurt you! It's going to feel good to hurt you between your legs. It makes me feel hard just thinking about it. Until than my little plum blossom…_

_Love,_

_Souta._

* * *

><p>'<em>That kid is friggin' nuts!<em>' Urahara felt dirty just holding the filthy epitaph. He folded it carefully. Yuzu forgot her anger at the man when she saw the fear in his eyes.

"Mr. Urahara, He can't hurt her now…he's dead. It was all anybody talked about at school. They say, humph, he-he, humph, cut his-throat!" She was whimpering, "Even if he's a spirit he can't hurt her, can he?" she gasped.

Urahara had not intended the child to see the emotion play across his face; the town was going to hell, **literally**.

Yuzu slumped to the floor in despair, "Just please tell me where they took her. Those monsters Souta was talking about."

"Karin is in the safest place she could ever be," He tried to reassure the pitiful child.

Finally Jinta was retrieved from the roof by Tessai. He was afraid to see Yuzu, but somebody had to take her home. Urahara could not leave Karin's fragile shell alone.

"I'm-I'm sorry Yuzu," It was Jinta's turn to cry. Yuzu's features softened. She knew Jinta had no hand in Karin's dissapearance and she felt guilty for hurting him.

"I- it's not your fault. I'm sorry, I was mad at you." They walked together. Neither enjoyed the walk and Yuzu suddenly did not want to go home, because she felt so alone.

* * *

><p>Back in the soul society Karin awoke from a bad dream, but thankfully she had not had any huge fits since they had given her the black bracelet that still sometimes felt like it was nibbling on her flesh. One person was on her mind and she was very scared for her, "Yuzu."<p>

She looked out her window it was bright out so she got up and got dressed. Toshiro had promised her a surprise this morning and she wanted to be ready when he got there. Still she could not shake the feeling that something was going wrong back in her home town, "Poor Yuzu's stuck in the middle of that mess."

'_It was only a bad dream, please stop worrying,'_ Shina tried to reassure her.

"OK," She continued to get dressed.

'_Besides Urahara won't let her get hurt, you know that_,' The golden lady continued.

"Nor would Jinta," Karin found herself laughing; picturing Jinta as the brave rescuer and her sister playing the part of the damsel in distress.

"Who are you talking to?"

Karin turned and blushed. Toshiro was early, "Oh, I forget I talk out loud sometimes."

She walked over to the man she loved and punched him in the gut.

He doubled over in pain, "Oof! What was that for?"

"For not knocking, and for being twenty minutes early. What if I had been getting dressed still?" A devious grin played on her lips, she loved to torture him. It was too easy. She wanted him badly, but both knew that at the very least it would be Toshiro's downfall, if not hers also.

Captain Kuchiki had already explained that if he sensed something was amiss with them then he would not hesitate to slaughter the young captain. It was like closing the barn door after the horses had escaped, but he was only trying to protect her from further damage.

So they were permitted to be alone together, and she was not being guarded 24/7.

Toshiro said nothing but swept her off her feet and flash stepped her to a very high tower. Not the highest tower, but she looked out and she could see far beyond the seireitei walls. She saw vast forests and the Rukon district stretched for miles. "I'm not permitted to take you outside these walls, so I thought I'd take you to the best view in the soul society." It was beautiful, but chilly. Karin shivered. He hugged her to him. He produced a bento box, "I brought breakfast, if you're hungry."

She nodded. He opened it, everything smelled nice. There was an omelet and rice among other things. They ate and sat contentedly to watch the sun drifting lazily over their heads, "I did not know you could cook."

"Well just basic necessities," He sort of blushed. Then they sat in silence.

* * *

><p>"Our targets are alone," Ulquiorra announced.<p>

"Take them," Aizen commanded, "Both alive."

Grimjow grinned, "Comatose is still alive ain't it?"

Aizen said nothing. He and Ulquiorra were gone.

* * *

><p>There was a dark energy. Before the captain could react he was struck over the head by something, He was unconscious. Karin was grabbed from behind. They all vanished before an alarm was sounded.<p>

* * *

><p>Urahara had a very bad feeling just then. He sensed that his pupil was no longer in the soul society. As if on cue there was a dark energy close to the girl's body.<p>

He turned to see a familiar face, '_That freaky little kid is an arrancar? How could he have evolved so quickly?' _He had Karin's lifeless corpse thrown over his shoulder, "You won't be needing this anymore. The girl is Aizen's now." He stepped into the gaping black maw that had appeared behind him.


	36. Souta Akiyama

**!Attention! I published Chapter 35 earlier today so you might want to go back and read that if you have not yet.**

* * *

><p><strong>Watching Karin<strong>

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for extremely disturbing content well worthy of the mature rating this story has earned more than once.

Also this story is coming to a close there are only a few more chapters to go.

I wanted to make you better acquainted with one of Karin's pursuers, one tenacious bastard. One that would go further then any human or hollow to get what he wants. What he wants is to dominate and control Karin...and to love her and cherish her as only sick psychopath can.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 36: Souta Akiyama<strong>

* * *

><p>Since the day Karin Kurosaki came back from being out sick almost a month things had not been the same for him. He wondered what made her tick, and, why all of the sudden was that tomboy such a sexy vixen?<p>

He saw the other boys notice too. She was getting taller and her hips were curvy. Puberty had set in and was treating her very well.

Souta was not used to liking a girl and not having her like him back. He had gone out with half of the seventh grade girls, he had even 'scored' with a few of them. He had not even given a thought to any of the sixth graders, but then came miss 'mess-up-your-face-if-you-so-much-as-look-at-me'.

She ignored not just him but just about every other boy. Why? Is she gay? Could be, that just turned him on more. It bothered the hell out of him. How dare any female ignore him!

Then that white haired kid showed up. She kissed him, not just kissed they were making out right there in the middle of the sidewalk for all the world to see. He hated the short white headed boy with a passion.

They were at the dance. I had to settle for Kiko the biggest slut in the seventh grade, _'All because I held out hope that I'd get to take __**her**__,' _she was rarely alone, and that white haired boy acted more like a bodyguard than a boyfriend.

* * *

><p>Then she came back to school Monday after the dance. She pretended she was a tomboy again, but it was too late. That guy had made her a woman. Souta wanted a taste of her womanhood. She wasn't talking to anyone. Souta sat back and waited for her to get over the creepy boy with the white hair and piercing blue eyes.<p>

Souta followed her. He started noticing strange things. He'd be following Karin there would be a flash of black and white. _'Was it that boy? How could it be? That thing was flying through the air!'_

He saw monsters too…strange things with black holes in them. They saw him too, but seemed to be more interested in her them him. Sometimes he saw the figures clad in black fighting the monsters with holes where their hearts and lungs should have resided.

This was all going on around them. He knew she saw them too. She was scared; she looked so sexy when she was scared.

She stopped coming to school again. This time not as long, but her hair was longer again, and she was wearing a purple cast. It went with her eyes. They were the color of plums, _'So very pretty.'_

In her eyes he always saw hate. That was ok too. It made him want her more. He loved to touch her. It made her angry, but he felt fear there too. When she hit him it was out of fear, not anger (not usually anger).

* * *

><p>He followed her home. He wanted to grab her and take her somewhere dark and molest her until she cried. She didn't go home. She was with that puny redhead. Were they sneaking off to do nasty things?<p>

'_She's mine! I'll kill that pipsqueak!_' He confronted them and they dared to walk away from him, _'That's ok I'll get back at them—**at ****her**!__'_

_'She beat me up, but I felt himself getting hard. That stupid bitch teacher stopped her before I was finished!' _

* * *

><p>'<em>I got us both a detention. I finally get her all to myself. The teachers spend most of their time napping or reading magazines during detention.'<em>

_'Oh my god she is so sexy!'_ Souta wrote quickly he was good at bullshitting. He finished. Karin was squirming in her seat. He liked to watch her squirm, _'I bet she'd squirm if I touched her between her legs.'_

He felt an erection pushing through his pants. He looked at her chest rising and falling, the faint impression of her nipples poking through the soft cotton of her uniform. He started rubbing himself. He moaned softly.

He had her attention. He unzipped his pants and pulled it out so she could see. She looked disgusted and turned away from him. He moved his hand in motion with her upset breathing.

He wanted her. He was going to take her that night after detention. It was dark and he could over power her. He knew he was stronger. She couldn't beat him up if he got her from behind.

Outside he was going to make his move. Then he felt something strange.

'_Hey where did that old guy come from. Is that perv Karin's new boyfriend?'_

* * *

><p>His chance was lost, and not long after that so was she. He felt her presence cut off from this world. He had made his decision, but first he needed to think of how to accomplish it.<p>

Souta was a keen observer and surprisingly adept at avoiding the hollows. He watched two fighting once. One swallowed the other up. Then it became different, and stronger. He wondered if he were to get swallowed up by one of the monsters if he could take it over. He would be able to go where she was and he'd have the power to hurt her.

He observed stronger monsters. It was like they were the same thing only much, much stronger. They looked more like men rather than monsters, except they all had outlandish hair and eye color...and these strange bony head pieces. They didn't seem to notice him, or he was too unimportant to be bothered with. He hated that more than being ignored by Kurosaki.

He tried to get eaten, but none of the monsters he encountered seemed interested. He thought on it. One day he saw a fat man in a suit. He was running in the park he looked really scared. He had a chain attached to his chest. It bounced and jingled as he ran. One of those monsters was running after him. Nobody noticed, nobody tried to help. He actually saw the guy run through some lady pushing a baby carriage. The woman stopped for a second. It looked like she had cold chills running through her body. Then the monster ran by. It knocked her over spilling the crying baby in the road. People went to help her, but ignored the fat man running for, _'what his life, no for his __**soul**__._' So that was the realization he had needed.

He watched this happen a few more times before he was certain. They…those things with the holes were like ghosts. Most people couldn't see them, but they could be hurt by them. _'They are not interested in my body, but if I give them my soul I might be able to take control of one of those monsters.'_

He carefully penned his love note to his plum blossom, and he waited until he was sure everybody was gone from school. He left the folded paper in Yuzu's desk. That night he went home. As he was eating his supper he decided to act. He stood up and grabbed the steak knife his father had been using and he slashed his own throat. He fell to the dining room floor, smiling as the world was washed from his sight. The last thing he heard was his mother's screams. It was a beautiful sound.

* * *

><p>Where am I? He woke up it was raining outside. He saw that he was in a hospital bed. <em>Damn! It had not worked, but wait!<em>' He was not in the bed he was over it. He had a chain in his chest. It was attached to something. That's my body. He had a bandage on his neck. He heard an annoying beeping. He wanted it to shut the hell up! He reached for the cord to unplug his life support, but his hand went through it.

'_**FUCK**__!'_ He wanted to die. He wanted to go where she was to _**hurt**_ her and make her his! He sat there on his own chest crossly staring out the window.

'_I wonder can I go back in for just a minute. I might not be able to get back out again. Well there are plenty of ways a guy can kill himself. I can always try again,'_ The little half ghost shrugged to himself. He did it, he settled back in his body it was strange and uncomfortable.

His neck hurt badly. He made a great effort to get out of the hospital bed. He was too weak. When his feet touched the floor he tried to put his weight on them. His legs buckled and he collapsed to the floor. He felt his heart pumping crazily like he had little blood to spare the crawl to the outlet. He knocked the stand with his saline bag over. It ripped the IV out of his hand, _'Shit! That hurt. I can't wait to be dead again!'_

He slowly made his way to the life support machine. His stitches opened his gaping wound started to seep black blood. He felt his heart was going to give out and kill him before he could do the job himself. He chuckled at the thought. He reached the cord, leaving a gory trail of blood behind him. He yanked it out of the wall, than he fainted in a pool of his newly spilled blood.

This time when his mother screamed he was already gone. The woman lost her precious Souta twice in one day.

Souta was running and shouting his detached soul chain was jangling, "Hey! Hey you monsters come and get me! I _want_ to be eaten!" He attracted some attention. Lots of attention actually. Three, than four, than five hollows appeared, all eying the boy hungrily.

Suddenly he was not so sure about his plan. Fear bubbled up in his sick consciousness. There was a big ruckus as a five-way fight broke out. The weakest and smallest monster was the first to go. He was eaten by one of the other four. They kept this up for what felt like hours. Throat ripping, gore, black ichor that must be what passes for the blood of the monsters. Finally the strongest and most ominous one turned on the boy. Souta stood his ground and allowed himself to be swallowed.

* * *

><p>Thousands screaming at once.<p>

'_So dark, this must be what hell is like._'

The boy decided he was not going to be one of thousands screaming in torment. He would be the tormentor! He had Karin to think of after all. He still wanted her like that. He did not know if this monster body could accommodate his passions, but he had seen them transform. Maybe he could become like the humanish monsters.

He smiled he saw a small spark of light. It glowed purple. Like _**her**_ eyes he went toward it. He did not have any sense of a physical being, or spiritual for that matter, he was just his will. His will to hurt, to touch, and to love Karin Kurosaki.

Sheer act of will he began devouring, Souls and Hollows alike, _'That is what I am, a Hollow. How did I know that?'_

He felt he did not have long to act so he just ate and ate. He devoured souls left and right he went after weak hollows at first, but his strength was growing, he lost count he felt like millions rather than thousands now. Soon he was a menos grande. He was still fighting inside for control. There were many other souls just as vicious as him, but he was more determined. He had a purpose, a mission.

Finally, he started to feel like he was about to collapse in on himself. Millions screaming in pain and torment, he was their master, their tormentor. He felt like he was being sucked into a black hole of raw power and hate. Everything faded to black and he lost his sight of the world.

* * *

><p>He awoke in a cell. Two green eyes peered at him through iron bars, someone to devour? No he looks to strong the short thin arrancar sat up and stared at the lifeless eyes. He was unafraid and silent. Those eyes were silent too. Ulquiorra looked in on the sandy colored hair, white headpiece curled over each ear and wrapped cross the bridge of his nose. It was delicate and the sides above each ear resembled the wings of a dove. He had a gaping black wound in his chest that did not seem to bother him. He looked blank unemotional, his eyes were the color of the sky in the living world. The boy smiled suddenly, insanity rode across his face.<p>

'_This boy has potential, but is it good or bad,_' Ulquiorra met few souls who he could not read. This boy was difficult. There was a mania on his face that made him look more animal than human, but the eyes looked innocent and one even might call them loving.

"They are loving for only one person," The boy spoke.

"You could hear my thoughts?"

"I suppose? I don't know. All I remember are two things. My name and one other thing."

"What is your name?" Ulquiorra inquired.

"Souta Akiyama," The boy's inner rage played in his eyes then left.

"What else to you remember?"

"A girl…one that I want. I want to love her and to hurt her," Souta's sick, loving look returned.

"Do you remember her name?"

"Yeah I do, it's Karin Kurosaki," Ulquiorra blanched, if a man with a white face can do that, "Would you like to meet my master?"

The boy nodded. He heard the cell being unlocked. He followed the only slightly taller Ulquiorra.


	37. To Get Her

**Watching Karin**

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Before when I published this people complained that I made Karin too powerful. I really hope it doesn't bother anyone because I am not going to change the story. I'm only touching up my grammar spelling and punctuation.

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><p><strong>Chapter 37: To Get Her<strong>

* * *

><p>It felt late but she wanted to sleep, "Wake up sleepy head." She hurt all over like she had been hit by a train. She didn't budge. A smart slap across her face got her attention. Her eyes fluttered open. Her head was in somebody's lap.<p>

The room was bright and white. The walls and floor were like marble. It was cold. That voice it was unpleasantly familiar. A delicate looking hand stroked her silky black hair. He cooed at her. "Good morning, my love." She started to get up. He held her down. She felt weak. He smirked, "Don't move I like you right there." She looked into a face that was so familiar, but she couldn't believe it.

"Souta?" He smiled at her recognition.

"You remember my name, plum blossom," His already wide smile broadened further. He continued to stroke her hair a little harder now. She felt something unpleasant stirring underneath her head.

"How?" Karin looked up from her pinned position.

"I did it all for you," Horror struck her face as Souta spoke, "Aren't you pleased. I think I am quite pleasing to look at. Well except for this," He took her hand and forced it into the black hole in his chest.

She shuddered, _'Why do I feel so weak?'_

"Oh that? It's this room it suppresses soul-reaper powers. It is just a precaution Lord Aizen put in place. She gasped at his reading her internal thoughts, _'or was I talking out loud again without realizing it again?_' She tested the waters waiting for a response.

"You're testing me, sugar plum," A new variation on an old nickname. "You can't keep your thoughts from me. Most can't. I think I may be able to read Aizen's thoughts too, but that would be very, very dangerous…" The word trailed off as he leaned foward at an impossible angle to kiss her.

She fought; first just for him to get off her, then she started fighting for air. She still needed to breathe. His tongue intruded into her mouth it did not taste foul, but it felt wrong. She started to see bright spots of light flickering in her vision. Her body felt heavy. Then he released her from the death kiss. She gasped desperately for air.

"Come now pet, don't be mean," It was sickening; his eyes were mixed at once with both love and hate. He resumed stroking her hair and started to hum a tune that sounded a lot like a lullaby. He lifted her to his chest and began to rock her. A hidden memory, she was crying to someone, _'Ichigo? No it was an older man; he rocked me when I was hurt.'_

"You thinking about that old pervert? The one with the weird hat and those wooden sandals?" He had an evil look on his face. His pale sky blue eyes flickered angrily. She knew it was going to happen before he moved. He dug his teeth into her shoulder, painfully. She screamed.

"Don't ever think about other men you whore," He was cold but at the same time she heard a smile in his voice that she dreaded. He wanted her to give him the excuse to hurt her it got him off. As if to prove that the thing between his legs jumped up and hit her spine.

"You know I didn't remember much when I first woke up in Heuco Mundo. I did remember my name, and I did remember you, every inch of you. Everything is trying to come back. What I allow to come back is strictly the memories I have surrounding you. Like that _**SOB**_ boyfriend of yours. They've got him here too," He cackled at her frightened face.

"What are you going to do?"

"To him? I don't know, and I really don't give a shit. My only concern now is you," He ogled her like she was a piece of meat and he was a starving wolf. He began rocking her again. He cooed in her ear to, "Shut-up and go to sleep." When she didn't comply he wrapped his arm around her neck until her body went limp. He was stroking her head and he licked the single tear rolling down her cheek.

* * *

><p>Captain Hitsugaya awoke in a similar room to the one Karin and Souta were sitting in. Only he was bound by heavy chains. They caused great discomfort, and he could barely breathe under their weight. <em>'Why do I feel so weak?<em>' He asked himself since there was no one else to ask. He heard someone enter he did not bother to look, "Well, well, well, if it ain't my old friend _**little**_ Captain of the Tenth." Hitsugaya recognized the voice still he didn't look, "Aren't 'cha going to' say anything?"

"Go to hell, espada!" He smile for the pain would now come. He was not disappointed. The man picked the boy up by his chains and began hitting him in the face. It only hurt until the third time, than things started to go hazy. He was dropped to the floor bruised bleeding from his nose and mouth.

"You are lucky, brat," He spat the words at the soul-reaper, "Lord Aizen wants you alive for some reason."

He didn't like that. That probably meant they were going to use him to get something from Karin. Yammy left the bleeding captain to think about his situation. There was not much to think about he was in a soul suppressing room. It only seemed to affect soul-reapers not the hollows. His chains were probably designed to suppress spiritual pressure also. He couldn't escape, not rescue her, and really now not do much of anything.

He was glad he had, had a light breakfast. He might have thrown up if he had eaten more. He would have not minded vomiting onto that disgusting hollow. The thought gave him some satisfaction.

Now his thoughts turned to her, _'Is she chained up like this?' _That thought frightened him,_ 'Is someone in her cell working her over_?' He supposed with some small hope that she would somehow escape harm. "No I think she is too important to them for Aizen to risk her being severely injured," He said this out loud to reassure himself. It did not make him feel any better.

_'Have they been doing things to her? Would she cooperate in exchange for my safety,'_ He hated that he knew she would. _'And it would be folly for her to trust Aizen. Is she still alive?'_ He could not sense anything. Suddenly the door opened again. Yammy was carrying something, "Aizen told me to bring you some company." he laughed. He had a limp figure wrapped in a blanket. He set the thing down in front of him. It slumped to the side and a lifeless hand fell out. He saw her lifeless face peeking out.

Toshiro gasped, "You can relax she ain't dead. We just brought her body back here for insurance. Szayel wanted to try some experiments on the body, so I thought she'd be safer in here with you," He looked down lustfully, "You know I can release your chains. If you want to..._you know_ have...some fun with the girl's body. She's not going to argue." Toshiro growled. The espada left chuckling, _'that hurt him more than any of the punches I threw.'_

Karin was stirred awake none to gently by her would-be arrancar lover. "Sugar plum, it's time to go meet your new master." She was being shaken forcefully. He got up and she went up with him since he had his hands on her shoulders.

"Come my pet, let's go say hello to Lord Aizen." His eyes mingled love, jealousy, hate, and fear.

'_Why are you afraid?'_ She asked herself. She expected him to answer her. She had decided to limit her thinking.

"No time for that nonsense," He nibbled on her ear. Unpleasant shivers went down the girl's spine. He stuck his vile tongue in her ear. Then he took her waist and forced her to walk. She had a nauseating feeling then they were there, "Lord Aizen, I brought the girl." He bowed than took a place toward the back of the throne room.

"I thought I instructed you not to harm the girl," Aizen sounded irritated. He had noticed the blood stains on her shoulder.

"M-my apology it was just supposed to be a little love bite I guess I got carried away." He said unashamed but still fearful. Karin felt enough shame for two anyway. She blushed completely red.

"Please be more careful with our new friend. She is very precious. I expect the same respect given to her as is given to Orihime."

Karin finally spoke, "Orihime?"

There she was sitting next to Aizen. She looked so ashamed to be there, but when Aizen looked toward her she tried to smile and look sweet, "You traitor! That's why Ichigo disappeared again! And you dare smile at that monster!"

Orihime looked down. Karin saw she had hit a nerve. Tears were splashing down onto the marble floor below her. Karin did not care she was pissed. She felt she had gotten some of her power back. It was returning slowly, it felt like when you press your finger into your skin. The blood slowly goes back into its place. Her powers were slowly flooding back into her. Plus she still had that bracelet on. She was afraid to take it off. If they wanted her power then she would be better off pretending she weren't so powerful.

"Grimmjow take that bracelet off the girl," Aizen spoke up as if he could also read minds. Aizen smiled in amusement. Espada number six walked over and grabbed her wrist. He ripped it off. It left an angry red mark and a few droplets of her blood. The bracelet was wiggling around it went for Grimmjow's face. He danced around screaming obscenities trying to pry the angry thing off his face. He finally got it off and stomped on it until it stopped moving.

Then he drew Panthera and proceeded to stab the thing over and over. Aizen chuckled at the display. Grimmjow finally remembered where he was. He glared at Aizen for just a second then he took his place on the side lines.

Now that _that_ is out of the way let's see your full power. She instinctively reached for her zanpaktou, it wasn't there.

"I believe you are looking for this," Aizen held up her zanpaktou, "I had heard you had a beautiful zanpaktou. That word doesn't seem to do this justice. He held it up and admired it. It caught the light.

She screamed "Blinding light of virtue shine down from the heavens!" She hoped that she didn't have to be holding the sword to give her commands, and it worked. The room went white. She dashed to the man's throne. She took her sword back. It was pointed at his throat when the light finally dispersed, but she could not stop him. He had drawn his own sword to defend. He blew her off himself she flew back keeping her zanpaktou. She managed to land on her feet. She had waves of her own power rolling off of her.

Gin spoke up, "Hey Yammy try and take her sword."

Yammy laughed, "Yeah sure, this'll be easy. Come on puny give me your best shot." He was too cocky. He didn't even draw his sword. She jumped on him. Her power grew exponentially. He staggered at the weight of her power, and this was only a portion of her true power. She sliced through his left arm and then his right. Then she turned back to face the bleeding giant.

"You bitch!" He charged her. She shrugged, and finished what she started. As her anger grew she decided she was going to take them all down.

"That's enough," Aizen said patiently, "Congratulations, Souta you are now the tenth strongest espada. I know you worked very hard to accomplish so much in such a short period of time." Karin was ignoring Aizen.

"Karin please put away your sword," again Aizen sounded bored but there was a threat in his voice. She felt his power rise so she increased hers also, "If you value his safety you will put your sword away now."

"Whose safety," She saw the silver haired guy holding Toshiro. He was bound in chains, and he looked pretty beaten up. His head was down on his shoulder, but she saw his breathing was shallow, "No!"

She was about to charge at them mindlessly. The silver haired guy drew his own sword, and held it to Toshiro's neck. She dropped hers and stopped charging, "So now we understand each other," Aizen smiled. She nodded, still looking at Toshiro.

"Well I think that was a good demonstration of her power, but she may have been holding back some I doubt it though," Gin spoke still holding the black blade against Toshiro's tanned neck.

"Karin you and I are going to be allies," Aizen spoke up again, "If you behave, the young Captain over there will stay safe."

"Don't listen to him Karin!" Toshiro looked up his eyes were clear though his face was black and blue, "He's a liar; he's going to brainwash you!" Gin's blade got closer to his neck and slid up a bit, producing a bright red stream of the soul-reaper's life blood. The boy's conviction didn't waiver, "I'd rather die than see you in his clutches!"

"Oh Toshiro," She looked down at her blade. She didn't know what to do, _'Think, Karin…no don't think he can hear my thoughts. I don't know what to do! I know they are not going to keep him safe, if Aizen can brain wash me than why would he need to keep a hostage. They need one now because I really am too powerful to control.'_

She shut off her mind as best she could. She got on one knee. Toshiro screamed, "Karin, no! Don't do this. Run!"

She touched her sword and started to speak, "You know Toshiro, I told you to run that time you looked so overwhelmed...But you stayed anyway. What in the hell makes you think I would betray you like that!" She was angry. Her power spiked and suddenly she was in Gin's face, "Give him to me." The man didn't look surprised, but he had to move his own sword to block hers. Karin took her love back. She carried him like he weighed nothing.

'_What now Karin,'_ Shina Mitsu.

"We wing it I guess?" She shrugged as she held her boyfriend on her shoulder.

_I like that idea_, Shina smiled.


	38. Mine!

**Watching Karin**

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for extremely disturbing content well worthy of the mature rating this story has earned more than once.

Also this story is coming to a close there are only a few more chapters to go.

Before people complained that I made Karin too powerful. I really hope it doesn't bother anyone because I am not going to change the story. I'm only touching up my grammar spelling and punctuation. A note about Karin's powers I don't know where her true limit lies but I do know that she can't function at full power for long without suffering physical exhaustion. Perhaps she is not even that strong and is just able to concentrate her spiritual powers.

Yet again I have veered from the original story I think this is what you might call a partial AU :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 38: Mine!<strong>

* * *

><p>"Are you using flash step?" Toshiro suddenly asked.<p>

"I don't know," She explained, "Urahara never got around to teaching me."

"I wonder how you could be so fast," he sounded impressed.

"Urahara always said _**I**_ was fast," She smirked. She was deflecting attacks from arrancar, and espada on all sides.

"You're strong, I mean you might give Yamamoto a run for his money," He chuckled, "It is a good thing you're carrying me. I probably couldn't even stand in this condition next to your power."

"I need to put you somewhere safe so I can go kick some asses," she winked at him, "First let's get these chains off you." She sliced through them with her sword and they slid off.

She had an espada rushing toward each side; she ordered her sword to shine and pointed the beam at the closest one. His face was set on fire, "Or maybe we should just run. Shina, Blinding light of virtue shine down from the heavens!" The room was white again. The only two people who were able to see anything escaped and started running down the hallway.

"Karin where are you planning on running to?"

"Anywhere but here."

"Wait we can't leave, they have your body."

"I don't care. It isn't important."

"What, yes it is! Do you know what they will do to it?"

"Kill it? So? I have you," She smiled, "Besides If I'm dead than we are not breaking any rules when I do this," She kissed him. It was awkward, since she was carrying him and running, but there was a pleasant warmth in their kiss.

She was starting to feel drained and they were hopelessly lost. "You're getting tired. We need to find a place to hide and you need to work on suppressing your powers." he looked concerned she was getting pale.

"I don't think I can still carry you unless I have at least some of my powers out. I'm not physically strong enough."

"I think I can manage to run, if you would just put me down. I feel like my own powers are starting to return."

"OK," She didn't want to put him down. Strange, this is really a guy thing, "Toshiro, I just thought of something."

"What?" he looked worried.

"You are my damsel in distress," She put him down and took his hand. She started running before he caught on to what she said.

Again he said, "What?"

"Well I did save you from being held captive from a group of evil men, and I even untied you." She ran with him down the hall.

"Are you trying to emasculate me?" He looked at her.

"No! Why should men do all the saving? Cause you are stronger?" She scowled.

"Well?" He had to admit she had him beat on raw power.

"Just shut-it," She smiled at him, "Hey do you think you could call your bankai if we found a window?"

"Why?" He smiled

"Well if we are very high off the ground I would not want to fall. You can fly. Can't you?" She smiled at him.

"You know I can levitate too right?" He cocked his head at her and grinned.

"No way! That's cool! Well let's stop talking and try to find a window or a door, or something!"

"Right!" He looked back, "We have company."

"Get behind me, OK."

"No way! You stay behind me!" He was starting to get annoyed, "I can take care of myself."

"Then draw your sword," The barked as it attacked. Toshiro reached for his sheath. There was no sword there. The arrancar who had found them had taken it from him while he was busy arguing with Karin.

Toshiro shrugged. He planted his foot in the thing's head and took his sword back. Slicing through the thing's hand in the process. He didn't need his shiaki for this weakling. He finished the pathetic excuse for an enemy quickly, "Let's go! Before more come," He was wiping the blood off of his sword on the things white jacket.

"Right!" She looked around her, "Which way." He didn't think about it but grabbed her hand and started running down a side corridor. It was dark, but that was OK, because he felt safer under the cover of darkness.

"No windows in this place. If we are above ground we must be near the center of Los Noches." He realized she had stopped running, "What is it?"

"Ichigo! I feel him he isn't far," He tried to pull her again, "No not that way. She looked below her feet."

"He's probably here to save Orihime, he doesn't even know we are here!" he tried to get her to budge. He sighed heavily, and turned to her, "Karin, I love you, please don't make me make you leave here. We can't do anything for him. We will just be a cause for distraction."

"But!"

"Can't you feel it. Your power had been drained. It'll come back eventually, but for now you are too weak to help. I am sorry. It is my fault! You saved me, and I was useless! I can't take the risk of losing you," He kissed her, gently, but there it was, his tongue, in her mouth, He pulled her close to him. She was crying, but her body felt like it was melting into his.

"I-I guess you're right." She was his she would follow him anywhere right than, "You sure you don't have the ability to brainwash people?"

"That's not funny woman!" He was smiling, "Let's keep going this direction."

"If you say so _Captain Hitsugaya_," She sounded very sarcastic, but she was smiling. He loved her smile.

"So when you join the 13 court guard squads what squad would you like to be in."

"What do you mean when, don't you mean if?" They were feeling around the dark. It was hard to see anything.

"Well I was going to ask if you would like to join my squad."

"Would that not be a conflict of interest, _Captain_?" She teased.

"Well-," he was thinking seriously. They walked along he was still holding her hand. It felt so good to touch her. Her hand was just slightly smaller than his own and softer; which might go against conventional knowledge of the girl. She was after all anything but girly.

"Toshiro would you get your hand off my ass! This is hardly the time or place for you to get perverted."

"I'm not touching your a-" Suddenly there was a cero blast it caught the Captain in the chest.

"Toshiro!" She screamed.

"Hello plum blossom. What did I say about talking about other men. Let alone talking to or touching other men. The small espada brought a hand to her face. It was surprisingly genteel, but it only put her off guard for the rapid succession of punches in her stomach. It was more than super human. She wondered why her own reflexes were no longer that fast.

"You've drained your powers, Remember Bitch!" He grabbed her hair. He pulled her close and kissed her.

"Get off her you bastard!" Hitsugaya climbed up and steadied himself. He ran at the espada who was about a foot taller than him. Karin had to dodge in the narrow hallway, "Karin get behind me, NOW!" She decided she wouldn't argue, for once. She'd really prefer to keep as much distance between herself and the amorous hollow as possible. But the boy espada yanked her back by the hair. She gave a surprised yelp.

Souta held her by the waist whilst fighting off Hitsugaya's attacks. The newest espada was not using her as a shield, but actually seemed to be protecting her from being accidentally hit by one to the two swords. She thought to draw her own, but a surprisingly strong hand stopped her. Souta picked her up and slung her body over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"I'll be taking my woman back, thank you," He said blocking Toshiro's sword with his own. He jumped backward and ran. The soul-reaper followed him. They entered a large hall, much like the throne room, '_Hell, every room looks the same in this place.'_

"Yeah I know it gets kind of boring," Souta agreed with his unspoken thought. Toshiro's attention was thrown off. The boy shot off another cero blast it grazed Hitsugaya's head. There was a distinct scent of singed hair.

"So you can read my thoughts? Read this," He released his shikai and launched an attack. The young espada was surprised enough to lose track of the soul-reaper. Hitsugaya retrieved Karin and flash stepped away. She was hugging his neck as the two of them retreated. Neither he nor Karin were really in the shape to fight.

"So how are we going to get out of Hueco Mundo once we get out of Los Noches?" Karin suddenly asked.

"I have no idea," He sort of shrugged, he couldn't accomplish the gesture because he was at that time holding Karin, and trying to increase the distance between them and the love crazed espada, "May I ask, why that arrancar called you his woman?" Toshiro sounded jealous there was no masking it.

"I'm not even sure I know what's going on with that, but I went to school with that boy and as far as I knew he was still very much alive up until the day I came to the soul-society. As far as him thinking I'm his '_**woman,**_' the emphasis on that was said in disgust. Toshiro was relieved; as if he should be worried, "...He is a loathsome pervert. He was kind of stalking me, after you left," She was nervously fidgeting, like he might blame her for that.

"That creep!" Toshiro wanted to put her down and turn around to kill the bastard, but he didn't want to leave her alone, she was more important.

"I wish I had known how crazy he was back then though." She gave an involuntary shiver. Another cero blast flew past their heads. It blasted a wall causing part of the hallway to collapse. Toshiro avoided the crumbling partition easily. The hole created even afforded them a new route. He decided to take it. Again they were in a strange hall. There were a few lower level hollows. These beings avoided the two of them.

"Toshiro?" Karin was looking back.

"Wha-" The boy felt a hit blast of energy directly hit his spine. The pain was unbearable. He thought he would have dropped her, but she was gone.

"How _**DARE**_ you even think it was OK to touch her. I don't want you to even look at her. I think I'll just behead you right now. Karin was fighting with the espada boy, but at this moment he was stronger than her. He held her wrist. He squeezed until she heard bones crunching together. She moaned in anguish, "Mmmm, I think she likes that, soul-reaper. Perhaps she wants you to see that she prefers me. I can let you watch. I guess that will teach you a lesson." The Captain Hitsugaya was still down from the direct cero blast to his back. He was growling. When he turned he saw the arrancar forcing her to the ground.

"_**Get off of her you son of a bitch**_!" Toshiro tried to get up. He was physically spent. Souta smiled at his rival. Then he planted another oxygen depriving kiss on Karin. The soul-reaper watched in horror as she was fighting him off than the struggle increased before her eyes rolled back in her head. She stopped moving, "_**YOU'RE KILLING HER STOP**_!"

The new espada number 10 broke the kiss before removing his tongue; he then proceeded to explore her neck with the offending organ. Again Hitsugaya tried to get up. Karin wasn't moving, she wasn't breathing. Then suddenly she started to cough. He was actually to relieved to mask his sadness. He had tears coming to his eyes. Souta grinned hatefully.

"Just wanted you to know what it was like to want something you couldn't have," As if the soul-reaper didn't know this—as if he had not spent the last three months dealing with that very situation.

He moved to in to kill leaving Karin in a now semi-conscious state lying on the floor. He straddled Toshiro's waist grinning, savoring the kill and anticipating his fear…But there was no fear. Toshiro was smiling hatefully at the boy. Souta felt hot steel sinking into his back. The sword reached his abdomen and pushed through. "Shine, Shina shine for the son of a bitch," Her voice was deadly even. With her foot she shoved the espada off of her beloved. Souta was powerless to resist.

Light shown from his mouth and eyes. He tried to move away from the sword, from her. He had a terrified look on his face, but Karin wouldn't let up. There was no pang of guilt in her consciousness, no cries for mercy. Souta's body couldn't hold together from the pressure of her attack. She grunted in pain but kept going. Souta vomited up dark red and black liquid that must have been the pulpy remains of his internal organs.

"I want to erase you!" She screamed in his ears, but he couldn't hear her anymore—he just heard a high pitch buzzing. His eyes fluttered. He stopped moving, but she was still attacking. She had meant what she had said; she wanted to vaporize his body. His body started to dissolve. The sword made contact with the floor and Karin followed suit.

"Karin!" Toshiro watched her collapse unable to reach her to prevent the fall. He was weak, and knew she had used all of her reserves. Karin would not be awake anytime soon, "You big dummy How am I supposed to protect you?" He cried. Toshiro crawled over to her. He tried to gather her up, but He was also too weak to do much of anything.

Suddenly Hitsugaya heard a familiar laugh, "That girl knows how to fight. I think she belongs in my division."

"Captain Zaraki?" Toshiro could not believe his eyes.

The captain scratched his head, and explained, "Yachiru wouldn't leave me alone until I promised to go after you. The head captain can shove-it for all I care," Again he laughed his half grunt of a laugh. The man grabbed the two of them without saying anything more.

"Wait, we have to go back. Aizen has her physical body being held hostage," The captain hated being thrown over someone's shoulder for the second time that day.

"Someone else is taking care of that."

"Who?" Toshiro asked but didn't get an answer.

Rather Kenpachi grunted, "I hate to leave a good fight, but we're just on a retrieval mission." He sounded really annoyed. Kenpachi actually looked like he had been fighting quite a lot. He had blood smeared all over him. None of it was his own, "Kurosaki OK?"

Toshiro tried to see the man's face. It was impossible from his current position, but he could swear there was worry mixed in with the man's usual mania. The small captain shook it off and answered, "Yeah, she just needs to rest, she used most of her power fighting today."

"That so?" again Toshiro was shocked to hear the faintest bit of pride mixed with the insanity that resided in the man's voice.

"Feels like you used up your energy to Captain Hitsugaya. You let a few measly espada beat you up?" Hitsugaya grunted this time. It was bad enough that he had to put up with being manhandled, but he also had to put up with the crude sense of humor of Kenpachi Zaraki, "...And your woman had to save you," He chuckled.

"WHAT!" Hitsugaya was angry, but also his face was crimson. Zaraki just laughed as he carried the two to a destination unknown to Hitsugaya. The boy just hoped he did not get them hopelessly lost.


	39. Lovely Death

**Watching Karin**

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for extremely disturbing content well worthy of the mature rating this story has earned more than once. Character Death this chapter.

Ok Captain Zaraki might be OC. I don't really know he seems to have a soft spot for girls. I mean he puts up with Yachiro after all and it seems even a saintly person's nerves would be tried by that pink ball of ADHD. :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 39: Lovely Death<strong>

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><p>Captain Zaraki seemed to know where he was going. The hallways were already splattered with gore. Hitsugaya assumed he was retracing his steps. The large man had the young Captain slung over his shoulder to keep his sword hand free, and was cradling the sleeping girl in his other arm. Hitsugaya thought it was strange how Zaraki was so careful with her. He decided the man must have a soft spot for the Karin.<p>

"Here we are, now we stay put and wait," Zaraki had stopped in a bloody hall where Hitsugaya assumed they had originally entered Los Noches.

Toshiro was never so thankful to be touching solid ground when he was finally dropped. Zaraki sat legs crossed Still holding Karin. Suddenly she stirred. She clutched the man's uniform and seemed to be trying to make him let go of her. Zaraki looked at her hand and grabbed it. Her wrist was black and purple. He examined her wounds. She had bruises and bite marks in some strange places.

"That arrancar, what did he do to her?" The questioner sounded uncomfortable. His maniac grin faltered, "Did he have his way with her?"

"I-I don't know." They both knew that was a lie.

"That is unforgivable," Zaraki was a man of passion and blood lust but this was even beyond the depths his cruel mind could fathom.

He lifted her sleeve. There were angry red, purple and even some green marks—teeth marks up both her arms. Her legs were bruised, the further he slid the leg of her uniform up the worse it got, "These bruises weren't earned in battle. What happened?"

"I don't think I want to know, but I was locked in a cell that suppressed only soul-reaper power. The arrancar that took me to my cell was unaffected. He gave me these," Pointing to the swollen eye, and a few lumps.

"He said I was being kept alive. I assumed, correctly, that I was going to be used as a hostage. That arrancar must have been with her in her cell. Notice her clothing hid all of her bruises. I suspect Souta would have been killed if Aizen knew the boy had…ravaged…his new prize," Toshiro almost gaged on his own words.

"So that Souta, you called him, you two met before?"

"No."

"What was his problem?"

"He was obsessed with her for some reason," The tension in the room was deadly.

"Did he _fuck_ her?" The maniac Captain almost whispered. He was frowning.

"I don't know, if he did she doesn't remember…I don't think," He quietly sobbed the last sentence.

"How could she keep moving with all those injuries?" Zaraki smiled almost tenderly, "She's going to be in my squad, I call dibs on her Hitsugaya."

Hitsugaya smiled, "I already asked her to be in my division."

Zaraki grunted at this, "Well anyway, Yachiro's going to be happy when we bring her back."

"Who are we waiting for anyway?" Hitsugaya asked the question that was not answered earlier.

"Oh, Kuchiki, He's going to go get her body. Urahara contacted your Lieutenant," Zaraki explained, "She came to Kuchiki instead of going straight to Yamamoto. Yachiro was playing in his garden and over heard the story. Course she ran back to me and demanded I rescue the girl."

Karin shifted in the large man's arms. She looked up at him sleepily and said, "Oh Hi Keni."

"What did she call you, Captain?"

Zaraki chuckled, "Yachiro beat the crap out of her until she agreed to call me that." His smile widened.

"Don't talk about me as if I am not here, _Captains_." She said in a mocking voice.

"How are you feeling?" Toshiro approached her. He put his hand on her delicately. She hissed.

"This hurts a lot more than it did when I was cremating Souta." She smiled, but her face was pale. There was a sheen in her eyes that screamed of pain. She shivered a bit, "It feels cold in here." Both men eyed her warily. She was probably going into shock.

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><p>Captain Kuchiki was almost in disbelief that he first went to the human world, then Hueco Mundo, without informing Head Captain Yamamodo. The man probably knew, but he'd deal with that later.<p>

'_That girl is my responsibility,'_ He thought worriedly.

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><p><em>"...Captain, they have taken her body and her soul to Hueco Mundo," Rangiku had forgotten all formality, but her panicked look made him almost forget his stiff formal facade...<em>

_...The attack had been so quick. The boy and girl were caught completely off guard and the two espada did not even need to raise their spiritual powers. They were never noticed..._

Byakuya had been surprised to find Captain Zaraki waiting for him. Byakuya had arranged for a gate to be opened to the living world without even informing the Head Captain. They couldn't get into Hueco Mundo, but knew someone that could get them there.

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><p>When they arrived chaos had already erupted.<p>

The two captains decided to split up; Zaraki followed the trail of destruction to its source, Karin, Hitsugaya and Souta; while Byakuya began searching for the girl's body. He had no idea where to look seeing as the lifeless shell did not emit spiritual powers. He didn't need to search long because, strangely enough, she came to him; or rather a weak hollow was dragging her body through the hallways. It had a devious look on its face. It petted her hair; the thing didn't seem very smart. It just kept saying, "Soft, soft," Over and over as it ran with her. It finally caught sight of Byakuya dropped her and screamed. The captain killed the thing viscously, thinking, _'How dare you touch her!'_

He scooped up her body and cradled it much like Zaraki was, just then, cradling her soul body and running to their meeting place.

He didn't want to chance harming her body so he flash stepped. Unfortunately his rise in spiritual pressure gained him some attention. Captain Kuchiki found himself confronted with a cerulean eyed espada, his hair the same color. The man gnashed his teeth happily, "Look who we got here."

Kuchiki said nothing, he attacked. It was difficult trying to protect the body and attack, but he managed to accomplish it as gracefully as ever. Grimmjow's teeth parted in a nasty grin, "What have you got there soul-reaper? That's a cute little fuck toy you got," He was trying to bait the seemingly unemotional man. Here Grimmjow was faced with his polar opposite. Byakuya seemed unfazed.

Grimmjow, crude as ever, tried again, "Yeah she looks cute, but she was no fun in bed. She just lay there while I pounded into her." Kuchiki's power rose only slightly, but Grimm felt he hit a nerve, "Now the little soul-reaper that thing belongs was a lot more fun. She was so tight, she kept screaming for me to stop, _'It hurts, please stop,'_ She didn't bleed that much though. She'd been ridden before. How'd she feel anyway," His eyes gleamed, "Were you her first?"

This was all being said as the two crossed swords. Byakuya growing angrier under his cracking shell. Finally He snapped and lost control. He lost focus he took several cero blasts from up close. He released His Shaiki; a flurry of pink energy tried to engulf the espada. However, Grimjow was to powerful and Kuchiki was too injured.

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><p>Zaraki and Hitsugaya were leaning over the girl she seemed to be having a seizure. Her body tensed as if she were being electrocuted, she gasped for air like she had just emerged from a very deep pool. Neither of them knew how to heal. Helpless, they had to watch her ride out her torment.<p>

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><p>Kuchiki was enraged. He did not know if what the monster said was true, but the monster would pay dearly for the insinuations made. Kuchiki forgot himself and left Karin's body exposed. He didn't see the strike that destroyed Karin's lifeless shell, but he felt the hot sticky blood pouring down his arm as Grimmjow impaled the lifeless doll with his sword.<p>

Karin's quaking finally stilled. She looked peaceful.

"This feels wrong," Toshiro recognized the peace the lay in her face, the sheen of perspiration made her seem to irradiate light. She was beautiful and happy. Her eyes glazed over.

She softly mumbled, "Gone."

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><p>Kuchiki screamed and his strength spiked. Grimm was surprized and lost his footing. The angry Captain let the frail broken body slip from his arms and he called his Bankai. It was a large hall that they had been fighting in, it seemed to get smaller as the room was filled with Swords all pointing at his ward's murderer. Grimmjow had no time to think before he was obliterated.<p>

Kenpachi and Toshiro heard tortured screams, echoing down the many halls. Toshiro knew what that meant. He looked at Karin, she seemed to be catatonic. He lifted her up and crushed her in an embrace which was probably not doing the little soul any benefit.

* * *

><p>Kuchiki found them quickly. His face was ashen and he emitted an aura of defeat. In his arms was held the bloody wreck of a boedy Grimmjow had created with his sword. Toshiro took one look and screamed like someone were stabbing him in the back with a hot iron poker. Nothing could be done.<p>

* * *

><p>Urahara was contacted and the gargantua was opened leading them to the living world. The three men, the comatose girl and her broken body were taken back to Urahara's shop.<p>

The man was waiting, he saw Karin's body, he lost his composure, "Karin, no!"

"She is in severe shock. I've never seen this happen. She was still connected to her body enough that its death has sent her into a coma," Byakuya explained in a voice so shaken it was almost unrecognizable.

Urahara was in shock himself. His eyes welled up with tears, he screamed, "Tessai, I need you!"

Tessai was by his side immediatly. He lifted the little soul up, and they took her to the shop above the training grounds and attempted to treat her, but the shock was very great. The soulreapers followed them up.

Tessai and Urahara calmly treated the girl's broken soul. "She needs to go back to the soul society to recuperate. Otherwise she may not wake up. Please leave her body. I will give it to her family," The former soul-reaper's voice was raw, his eyes were blood shot.

Karin was an amazing girl. She surprised Urahara in many ways. She had earned his respect, gained his trust and care. The girl had broken down his defenses, obliterated his emotional walls. Finally, Karin Kurosaki had made Kisuke Urahara cry.

Four went back to the soul society. They left behind two men in anguish at the loss of a friend, a beloved student, and a member of their little family.

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><p>I am very sorry to end on such a sad note but remember that this story is not over just yet.<p> 


	40. Finding Her Way

**Watching Karin**

* * *

><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for extremely disturbing content well worthy of the mature rating this story has earned more than once.

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><p><strong>Chapter 40: Finding Her Way<strong>

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><p>Karin found herself shrouded in mist. It was not unpleasant it was warm like a shower, but the mist was heavy. She could see nothing but felt warm wet grass in her hands. As she sat up she looked at her hands.<p>

She was confused, "Hello! Is anybody here?"

Her words were unanswered.

"Where am I!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Not even an echo answered. She began to get up. Walking in this veil was terrifying. Even more so because of the buzzing sounds she kept hearing just out of her vision range.

"Help! Somebody!" She called helplessly. None came to her aid, "Please."

She wanted to cry but something told her it would not be a good idea. She wandered around until she bumped something hard and metallic, "Ouch!" She had scraped her shin on something sharp. She felt hot wet liquid running down to her socks. She looked and felt surprised to be wearing a jersey shorts and sneakers. Why should she be surprised, "I don't know?"

She blindly explored the area carefully trying to avoid the strange structures that were sharp and hard. She tripped several times, but always got up. Finally she got to a place that seemed to be walled off. It was like metallic wiring. The wall was cold to the touch. Ice cold. It was as if it were holding out a freezing winter, "Where am I?"

'_You are in between, Karin,'_ A small tinny voice spoke finally.

"Who are you, who is Karin?" The girl pleaded for an answer.

'_You are she, you are us?'_ The soft voice buzzed in her ears.

"How can I be an us? I'm just one-,"

'_You are us_,' the voice said a little louder and less sweet.

"Where are you?" Karin asked.

'_Find me!'_ The voice commanded.

"How!" Karin hurled to question out into the blanket of white that hid her tormentor/rescuer.

'_FIND ME!'_ The voice was booming it surrounded the girl. The power of it drove her to the ground.

She was holding her ears in pain, but it was no use, the voice was outside and inside her head, "OK! PLEASE STOP!" She screamed the request.

Karin got up and moved away from the fence. As she went further into the mist it grew brighter. It was so bright she could not even close her eyes to protect them. It seemed like unending torture. Still she kept going. The voice seemed satisfied with her. Her eyes hurt so badly the light was burning them, "I'll go blind at this rate!"

'Shhhh! It will be ok,' The voice soothed. Then her eyes somehow adjusted. She was seeing small details. There was grass, white lines drawn on the ground a black and white sphere. There was a large metal frame with a net attached.

There was no person there though. It seemed like she must have been hallucinating the voiced, "Am I crazy?"

'_Keep going_,' The voice ordered, much less harshly this time.

"Which way?" Karin asked not really expecting any help.

'_Forward…forward is always the way_,' The voice offered sagely.

Karin nodded and started a long journey, as most start, with a single foot step in the right direction.

* * *

><p>Captain Hitsugaya and Karin were carried to the 4th division. Both he and Karin had sustained serious injuries, but he was at least awake.<p>

Captain Hitsugaya could hear Unohana's worried remarks, "She simply won't respond. I don't understand. She is resisting the kidou. It is as if she does not want to be healed."

Toshiro forced himself to stop listening. He didn't want to know. He was spared from hearing more because a huge explosion erupted somewhere in the seireitei.

The war finally had begun. He and Karin were left in the charge of one of the lower ranked seated officers of squad four.

The shy boy was really very brave he was forced to fight off an arrancar himself. He used his healing sword on Karin's body the it changed into a scalpel he flung the energy at the beast and annihilated it's head. It fell to the floor. Then he was forced to take the captain and the girl deeper into the hospital. He had two unranked officers to help them they were even more timid the boy.

Toshiro only noticed that Karin's wounds and bruises were much less severe than they had been only minutes before, "Officer Yamada?"

"Yes, C-captain Hit-Hitsugaya?" He asked nervously while thinking, _'How does he know my name, this can't be good.'_

"Thank you," he smiled.

"What?" Hanataro gaped, "Why Captain?"

You have healed her wounds.

"Captain, She is not completely healed yet."

"Yes, she was hurt very badly. She easily breaks kidou, and she was not allowing Captain Unohana to heal her. I know something is wrong inside her head. She is resisting something," The captain was explaining all this to the confused seventh seat.

"Oh, well my zanpaktou heals."

"May I ask how you managed to kill that arrancar?"

Hanataro blushed, "Well the negative energy from all her injuries were absorbed. The worse the injuries the more powerful my shaiki's attack. Her injuries were pretty bad. So, really it was she who saved us." The boy smiled at the captain.

Toshiro smiled, "Do you think kidou may work now, she looks calm."

"I think you need to be treated, first, Her injuries are not as severe as yours are now."

"No! Take care of her first! That is an order Yamada!" The captain almost screamed his resiatu flared up.

"I'm sorry sir, Please stop you are only hurting yourself. I will finishing treating her, If she lets me treat her."

Hanataro's brow wrinkled. He began performing kidou. Her stomach was still severely bruised. She seemed to be cooperating. Her face grew restless. The young healer whispered into her ear, "Let me heal you, the captain won't allow me to treat his wounds until you are well." This seemed to work, she calmed down again.

He was allowed to finish, but she was still comatose.

"Why won't she wake up?" Hitsugaya tried to get up his injuries forgotten.

"I am sorry Captain Hitsugaya. I don't think it is caused by her injuries. From what I understand she has suffered a great shock. She will have to break the coma on her own. I am so very, very sorry...but please you are bleeding and you are aggravating your injuries. Let me heal you, now!"

Toshiro was shocked at the request that was really a command. He nodded and allowed himself to be healed. His injuries were much easier to treat so it went quickly. He was bandaged. He took a seat beside Karin on the floor. He was holding her hand as the sounds of battle raged outside.

* * *

><p>Kuchiki had planned to take all the blame, expecting no less than execution and the disgrace of his entire clan. His only regret would have been Rukia, what would happen to her. He knew better than that, Rukia is strong, that boy will take care of if she ever needs any help.<p>

Zaraki was not about to allow that stiff to take all the credit. Being executed would be interesting. They reported to the head captain. Kuchiki talked first, "Head Captain Yamamoto, I went to Hueco Mundo and brought back the Kurosaki girl and Captain Hitsugaya. I am ready to accept full responsibility."

"Yeah right! _You _did nothing, you tagged along, that's all," Zaraki butted in.

"I 'tag along' with no one," Captain Kuchiki retorted.

"Well I was the one who found the kids and I carried them back," Zaraki pointed out.

"That is enough," Yamamoto released enough of his power to cause both to fall on their faces, "You both have put the soul-society in grave danger. I feel that a battle is looming."

As Yamamoto said this the three heard an explosion. The captain's office was rocked as cracks formed in the foundation.

"Your punishment must wait, for now we must defend the seireitei," Yamamoto pronounced. They flash stepped to the scene of the explosion. A huge gargantua was opening hollows and arrancar pouring out of the gaping hole.

The alarm sounded. It was late in the day, just after sunset. The soul-society erupted in chaos.

* * *

><p>The world was white, she was white too all of her; her hands, her eyes, her hair, "Where are we?"<p>

'_We are nearing the center_,' The voice explained.

"Why is it so bright? How can I even see anymore?" Karin said in awe.

The voice chuckled amusedly.

"I feel so light, I feel clean." Karin laughed too.

'_You are light. You irradiate light, love, and warmth,'_ The voice lovingly explained, then said in darker tones, '_Also you, burn, blind, and evaporate.'_

"I-I do that?" Karin was in disbelief.

'_You can, you use this_,' a golden zanpaktou lay at her feet, '_Please take it you will be needing it. Please forgive us, this is a necessary evil,' _The voice sounded cold as if she were trying to distance herself before the strike that Karin knew was coming.

Screaming horrible screaming echoed inside her very bones. "Ha! Ha! Ha!" A black figure hacked at her all the time giving cries of fury.

Karin was expecting to be attacked, but the fury was so great. The thing was a shadow. It hurt to look into the blackness. It said nothing in any discernable language, just screaming, or gibberish as it rained blows down on the white figure.

"**What! You aren't going to fight?"** A hissing scream invaded her/their head, **"Fight me, or die, BITCH!"**

Karin knew the thing was serious. She took a fighting stance that she did not know she knew how to do. She had instincts. The blades one gold and baeutiful one black and rusted, yet razor sharp and strong. Their battle was fought as furiously as the one going on outside her mind. The blades clanged and she was panting heavily.

"**Already tired. Huh? You were always lazy! You never helped your sister do chores. You always wanted to play soccer and ungratefully ate food that you **_**did not**_** deserve. You slept in a bed provided for you that you**_** had not**_** earned. you have no right calling yourself a Kurosaki!**" The taunts were as relentless as her sword.

Karin was letting the thing get to her. Her resolve slipped. The shadow caught her shoulder. The rusty blade sliced flesh and cracked bones, **"Give up now and maybe I'll let you stay in the lovely cage you locked me in way down in the dark scary parts, where the bad things all went."** The thing giggled, it sounded so girly! That broke her glazed defeated look. She charged one arm hanging uselessly. She brought her own blade down almost cracking the thing's head open. Shadow Karin, barely managed to block, but she laughed that disgusting girly laugh that made Karin grind her teeth. She put as much weight on the blade as she could, shifting her body forward. The shadow pushed back. Karin fell on her butt, the thing lunged, but she managed to dodge and get back on her feet.

"What? Are you getting tired?" Karin asked in a fake sweet voice that grated on even her own nerves. The thing screamed at her and charged. She dodged. She turned on her heel and went after it from behind. This continued for what felt like hours. Time did not matter in here. Karin was tired but felt she could push herself for hours more. It felt good to fight. She was not even scared anymore.

"Are you my evil side?" Karin asked.

"**No!"** The thing smiled at her.

"My hate, jealousy, anger?" The light one's voice carried curiosity.

"**No, no, no,"** Shadow Karin grinned. She heard it in the things voice, though Karin could not see through the thick darkness shrouding her.

"What are you?" Karin grunted.

The thing screamed and grabbed her dropping the rusty sword, **"I'm your FEAR."** It roared at her. **"…All those bad things that happened all the bad people that hurt us! _You_ let them hurt US! You forgot! But I didn't!"** Karin saw into her shadow's face there were frightened eyes, insane and terrified. Eyes that looked much too young to be her own. Karin's face softened in pity, but that was when the shadow of her golden zanpaktou was at her throat. She reacted just barely fast enough to block with shina. She pushed off the thing.

"**How many?**" It demanded

"I don't know?"

"**Why'd you let them?"** It screamed.

"I said I didn't let them. I was too weak?" She screamed.

Karin had a rebellious streak; it had landed her into some bad situations. The first time an older boy approached her she thought it was for a fight and she thought she was ready. She swung at him. He grabbed her, He reeked of beer. He kissed her. She got away before it went further, but it had scared her a little. Why would he put his tongue in her mouth it tasted gross. The next time she got hurt was when she sneaked out after fighting with her dad at night. She found herself in an alleyway with a grown up man. She fought him off. He said nasty things about her being a slutty tease. Then there was the boy on the soccer field. He had tried but had not gotten to hurt her that way.

Then there were the hollows! The tree could not get her physically but the things he did. She shuddered. Souta was even scarier. She didn't do anything to deserve what had happened. They searched her out. But she also got to know Toshiro better because of them. He was good, he was kind, He was funny when he was so grouchy. He loved her and treated her with respect. Her face grew brighter, "None of it matters anymore I have him. He will never hurt me, he won't say bad things to me or call me those awful names! I love him. He loves me!"

She glowed her dark counterpart cowered in her presence, "He loves us." Karin touched its face. The light melted away the shadow to reveal a broken little girl. The dark girl was crying.

"_Mommy! Why did you leave? You made us be sad and left us alone. We ran, we fought! We got beat up and hurt!"_ The thing looked to be about three years old, it sobbed huddled over in pain. Karin wrapped it in her arms. She ended the fight more peacefully than she had started it the girl curled up in her arms and every hurt every memory was reabsorbed into her. Now she was left alone and her mind was whole, but she hurt so badly.

'_Now you must rest, go to sleep my baby_,' The voice spoke.

"Mom?" Karin was shaking furiously. She fell on her side. Suddenly golden hair swept across her face. Surprisingly strong arms lifted her up, and cradled her.

'_Well I guess she is a part of us too_,' the voice cooed and rocked her. '_You have so many worried friends waiting for you, for now you need to rest. Then go to them.'_

Karin slept.


	41. Life Without You

**Watching Karin**

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for extremely disturbing content well worthy of the mature rating this story has earned more than once.

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><p><strong>Chapter 41: Life Without You<strong>

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><p>Karin slept. She was trapped in her own mind; at least she was not trapped there with a monster. Her darkness and her light meshed into a healthier, if sad, person.<p>

"I don't know when she will wake up," Captain Unohana looked at the sleeping girl, "You must be prepared for the worst Captain." She touched the girl's soft warm cheek as she spoke with Captain Hitsugaya.

"She needs the best care possible," The young boy was asking not telling the woman.

"She will get the best we have to offer," Unohana smiled softly. She left the boy with the comatose Karin.

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><p>Weeks passed the war was fought. She was still sleeping. Weeks turned into months, yet she would not wake up. She was kept safely away from danger with the other sick and injured soul-reapers. The war was won, but she still slept. Life became much more peaceful, though there were still scattered attacks from arrancar and menos. Karin slept. Six months had passed. Toshiro spent all of his free time in the hospital.<p>

He was not the only visitor she had. Captain Kuchiki and Rukia frequented the hospital. It was understood by everyone at this point that Kuchiki had adopted the little girl. He was the head of the clan and had no opposition. She was very strong and would make the Kuchiki name proud.

Captain Zaraki and his ward visited often also, though the officers of squad four dreaded their loud obnoxious company. Captain Hitsugaya greatly appreciated their visits. Being alone in silence had never bothered him before he met Karin, but now it was almost unbearable.

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><p>The boy stopped eating and sleeping. His lieutenant feared he may become ill, "Captain! What do you think Karin would say if she knew you were killing yourself?"<p>

"I am not killing myself," he said the words with a shaky voice.

"Yes you are. What will she do when she wakes up to find you are gone? I think that might kill her. She gave up everything for you, didn't she?" Rangiku was used to being on the other end of these conversations; it felt very wrong to her.

"She loves you!" The woman pleaded.

"I know," Toshiro responded; reality was sinking in. She had done the same thing when he left her, but he could not bring himself to eat. He couldn't sleep. His dreams were of her, it hurt too much to face the internal accusations.

"Do you want to hurt her?" She put her hand on his shoulder. He was so weak from not having eaten or slept in over a week. He stumbled back ward. The woman caught him, "Captain!"

He was semiconscious, but he replied to her question, "Never again."

He had to be taken to the hospital and was set up next to Karin, at Rangiku's request. He was better in a few days, but the girl slept on.

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><p>Toshiro started spending less time with the girl on the insistence of the fourth division captain. For the sake of his sanity he needed to be away from the thing that he loved most, and pained him most.<p>

Six months passed with no change. She could go a hundred years with no change in her condition, but the white haired captain planned to wait it out if it came to that.

After a year only two people still came to see Karin, Toshiro and Byakuya. Everybody would ask after her, but never went to see her. She was painfully skinny and pale. Her hair was dull from lack of sunlight. But her spiritual power stayed strong, which Unohana chose to take as a good sign.

It was a new year and they had a lot of new officers to be broken in. He could only come a few times a week now. Suddenly in the middle of addressing his division a hell butterfly lighted on his shoulder.

The message was that he was needed in the hospital. Karin needed him! He tried to hide his excitement and fear. He allowed his lieutenant take over. He flash stepped to the hospital, then to the room, then he was by Karin's side. Her eyes were open.

"Karin! You're awake!" He was smiling and crying, "I have missed seeing your eyes." Karin smiled weakly, but said nothing. She looked a bit lost.

Finally after almost five minutes of silence she opened her mouth. In a hoarse voice she asked, "Where am I? Who are you?"

His heart plummeted, the captain of the fourth division had warned him that she may lose her memory, but the harsh reality was not setting in until his beloved asked that question. He forced a smile, "I'm Toshiro Hitsugaya. You and I are friends. You don't remember me?"

She looked hard at him and studied his ocean blue eyes. She liked his eyes. He had a nice looking face to, but she couldn't place the face at all, "I-I'm sorry, I don't remember you."

"Do you remember anything?" again she shook her head indicating a negative.

"It's ok, what matters is that you're safe. You have been sleeping for over a year and I always feared that you'd never wake up again. Ca-can I sit with you a while?"

She nodded meekly as she adjusted herself to be more comfortable. She was now on her side staring into his eyes. She smiled sweetly at the boy that was supposed to be her friend.

'_I can do this,_' He thought, _'I can make you love me again._' His smile brightened which made her face look brighter still, "Can I tell you about yourself?"

She blushed because he was blushing, "Yes, I'd like that…um Toshiro, right?"

"Right!" He nodded and his smile grew even more. They chatted for the rest of the day. He fell harder for her than ever, and maybe she was falling for him too.

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><p><em><strong>Please Stay tuned for the epilogue and thanke for reading this story<strong>_


	42. Epilogue

**Watching Karin**

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><p>By fate they met in Karakura Town. He helped win a soccer match due to her stubbornness. Luck allowed him to save her life. Now Hitsugaya can't get Kurosaki Karin off his mind. So he watches over her, unfortunately he isn't the only one watching.<p>

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, I don't. I also do not make money from writing fan fiction.

Warning for extremely disturbing content well worthy of the mature rating this story has earned more than once.

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><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

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><p>Karin and Toshiro walked hand in hand. He pointed out things to her that she should have already known. They were stopped by several friendly faces, none of whom the poor girl could place.<p>

"You think I will ever remember any of it," She looked at him shyly. It had taken a week of talking before she would even allow him to hold her hand. He missed the contact.

"I don't know, Captain Unohana said you might never remember," He looked into her eyes. She was pouting that is one thing that would never leave her. She had the ability to melt his heart. The only thing stopping him from kissing her right than was his awareness of her discomfort. She broke his grip on her hand. She walked ahead blushing three shades darker.

"I am glad I have you to help me, Toshiro," She turned and walked backwards. Her necklace glinted in the sunlight. She seemed to not even notice it around her neck anymore it was an appendage like an arm or a leg. Toshiro smiled like he never smiled for anybody else. His face softened. She saw tears forming in his eyes, "Please don't cry for me, I don't like it." She frowned. Looking very childish he wiped his tears on his arm. This made her laugh, "You look like a little boy right now." For that comment any other person would have been reprimanded by this "little boy." Someday she would no longer be able to get away with it either, but today he laughed.

"If you say so," He reached for her hand. She snatched it away and turned away from him.

"I like you, Toshiro, but I feel really uncomfortable with this right now," She looked so sad.

"It's OK, I understand," He caught up with her and they resumed their walk. His hand felt empty, "Where would you like to go today."

"I don't care just walking is nice. I like the fresh air."

"OK," He looked at her sideways. She was touching her pendant nervously. Suddenly she turned and kissed him. It was just a small peck but her warmth radiated through his whole body. hbe blushed and smiled all the more, "What was that for?"

"I don't know? This necklace you gave it to me, didn't you?" She looked a little confused then she grinned and laced her fingers in his, "I think we are going to be ok."

Well I hope you liked the story

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><p><strong><em>Bonus preview!<em>**

I can't promise this will come quickly...I have so many projects in the air at the moment, but anyway this is the comming sequeal.

**Afterlife With You**

Chapter 1: Reacquainting

Karin woke after everything happened. She had no memories of her past life. She only knew what her new friends told her, but she was getting better...

"Do you know who you are?" The girl blinked in confusion as a bright light was shined into her eyes. The doctor gave her some information, "You are a shinigami, and your name is Kurosaki Karin."

She cleared her throat, "That sounds familiar." Her voice was harsh she licked her chapped lips.

"Karin!" A familiar voice spoke. For some reason this one made her heart speed up, "It's me do you remember me?" She craned her neck weakly to saw a boy about her age wearing a black kimono. His hair was snowy white and he looked upon her through brilliant cerulean eyes. She shook her head. He took on a crestfallen aura. For some reason that really hurt her.

"S-sorry," She frowned. Then she looked from the doctor, a blond man sporting glasses, back to the white haired boy that seemed so familiar, "Could I have some water?" She strained to be heard, but both seemed to have understood her. The white haired one brought a cup with ice cold water to her. She smiled and drank the whole thing in one go, "Thank-you..." She strained her face trying to come up with a name.

"Please call me Toshiro," Karin smiled but did not fail to see the shocked expression on the doctor's face. She shrugged it off and smiled, "Thanks Toshiro."

He smiled warmly at her. Then he turned to the blond doctor. His gaze turned cold and stoic as he spoke quietly with the man. The doctor shook his head. Toshiro turned and smiled weakly, "Karin you will have to stay here a little longer, but as soon as you are able to leave I promise I will come get you. I think you have another visitor," He turned and left. A taller man passed him both glared at each other in an unusual break in character for both stoic man and boy. The tall dark haired man seemed to put off an aura of royalty. He looked down at the girl lying in the hospital bed.

"Karin," She looked at them man she felt a pleasant warmth in her chest. Not like with the boy before, but something tender and familiar, "How are you feeling?"

"Um-I'm sorry sir...confused. I feel like we have met before," Karin seemed to be racking her brain. The man's face did not give away his hurt, but his eyes did unfortunately. It wrenched the girl's heart.

"I am Kuchiki Byakuya," He let a small smile trace his lips before it fell, "Please call me Byakuya."

She smiled at him brightly, "Thank you Byakuya." His eyes warmed up to her.

He took her hand gently, "When you are well you will be staying with myself and my sister Kuchiki Rukia."

"You seem familiar, and that name Rukia... Do I know her?"

"Yes, you do...Or you did before your accident," The man almost seemed to fumble on his words, they came out not quite silk like as they normally would have, "You were hurt very badly and you have lost all of your memories."

"Oh," She sounded softly, "It's like something is trying to reach me. It-it's just like on the tip of my tongue."

"Yes, we all hope you recover, but you must not expect all or even some of your memories to come back. The doctors told us that they might not," The man explained patiently.

"Are you my brother? You said you have a sister," She looked thoughtful, not straining like before just calmly in meditation, "Somehow that feels correct to me."

The man smiled briefly, "No we are not related, but I would like it if you became part of my family. If you would want to be adopted into my clan."

"I will have to think on it," She put her other hand on his as he squeezed hers lightly; "About that boy...Toshiro...what is he to me?" A brief flash of anger crossed the man's eyes but he squelched it.

"He...was your friend."

"Was?" Karin tried to sit up suddenly, "He seemed pretty friendly to me."

"I am sorry, but I cannot say in good conscious that he deserves to be your friend," He spoke coldly, adding in his own mind, _'After everything he put you through.'_

"Oh," her voice shook with an unknown sorrow.

"Please do not worry," The man removed his hand from her small chapped hand. He caressed her cheek, "Please do not worry Karin." Karin felt exhausted she fell back to her awaiting pillow. The man waited with her until she slept.

Toshiro growled in annoyance, _'Why must Kuchiki-taicho interfere? There were many things I regretted that happened between Karin and myself, but our relationship was not one of those!'_ The young captain shunpoed to his office. He walked in to see his second snoozing behind a stack of paper work. He picked up a rather large book of receipts and carried it over to her desk. He then slammed it down with a large thwack on her desk scattering loose files and knocking her half empty bottle of sake over ruining what little work she had managed to complete.

"Huh?" She mewled excitedly as she looked around for her attacker, "Oh! Good Morning Captain!"

"It's 2:47 in the afternoon, but I wouldn't expect you to know that!" He hissed at her in a more hostile voice than was usual.

"My, my, aren't you grumpy today. So what'd you get up on the wrong side of the bed?" She chirped ignorantly, "Oh, now wazza matter lil' captain?" She intentionally lisped.

"Karin has woken up," He ground out.

"So is she angry with you or something. I thought you would be happy now that she is back among the, ahem, living," She offered a sickeningly sweet smile only a half drunk lush could muster.

"She doesn't remember me," he frowned.

Rangiku sobered up hearing the upsetting news, "Oh, I'm sorry Captain. Is...is there anything I can do?"

"I really do not see what can be done, except getting her to notice me again. Kuchiki-taicho is already trying to convince her that I am a negative influence...I am pretty sure. Now that she is deceased there isn't much stopping him from adopting her like he did with Rukia. She is powerful I am sure the Kuchiki clan would accept her..."

"And the problem would be?" Rangiku intoned.

The problem would be that he would have his thumb on her. I would not be able to be with her like before. You remember what it was like before. Surly you haven killed enough brain cells yet to have trouble remembering."

She rolled her eyes, "I think you are not being fair. The captain is only looking out for her best interest-"

"And I am not in her best interest?" He shouted. His eyes glazed over a bit, "I didn't mean for her to get so hurt."

"Captain? You know more than half the things that happened would have occurred weather you were there or not. Fact is you saved her more times than I can count. She loved you than. I don't see why she could not come to love you again."

"Oh, I must be in trouble when you are the voice of reason in a conversation." He bit out.

Rangiku blew a raspberry at him, "You're welcome! Now get this thing off my desk so I can clean up my paper—work!" She glared at him holding up a sopping wet paper that had soaked up some of the sake that she only now noticed was running across her desk and into the floor, "Captain! How could you? It took me half the night to complete this!"

"Two forms?" He raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"Um well that and I—um did you change your hair? I like it?" She turned away from to start cleaning giving him a very inappropriate view of her derrière. He shielded his eyes and went to his own desk to finish his paper work for the day.


End file.
